Ever Tense
by AngelFire Rei
Summary: When Orochimaru threatens to bring all out war on the great nations, one girl’s tied between her new life and her past, her heart and mind riding an emotion roller coaster the entire way. What will happen when past and present meet?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yea umm, i do not own Naruto(i do own my OC Rei though,) Please give this story a chance, i'm begging you people! Enjoy.**

**Ever Tense**

**Chapter One:**

Rei walked down the hall clenching and un-clenching her fists. Her high-healed shoes clicking the stone floor in a steady pattern, an angry pattern, Rei was pissed.

She didn't even stop to think before she barged into the room on the opposite side of the door.

"Kabuto!" she hissed as the door banged harshly off the wall. "What is the meaning of this?" She demanded as she stomped over to him.

"Rei?" He swiveled in the chair to face her, dropping the papers to the desk. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She raged.

Kabuto stood and walked toward her hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder. He could see just under her anger that she was near tears.

"I will not do this," she murmured firmly.

"You must." That's all he was going to offer her.

"Like hell I do," she spat, her fury taking hold again; she swiped his hand from her shoulder and stepped back defensively.

"Shhh, such words aren't fit for your lips," He whispered as he placed a finger to them.

She took another step back and without any warning decked him square in the jaw.

"I hate you." She said as she turned to leave.

"I know," he murmured rubbing his jaw, pushing healing chakra into it, fighting back the bruise.

She could have killed him with that punch and probably should have but she decided better of it at the last second, with Kabuto gone Sasuke would kill her, or worse.

Besides she had more urgent matters to take care of. How to get out of the mess she'd now found her self in. Why did Akatsuki need to be involved? Yes, she did leave them, she left Itachi, but that didn't mean she didn't care about them anymore. She would not be the cause of their downfall. No.

She punched the wall in beside her to control her anger. Even if she had every reason to let them all die, she wouldn't bring herself to do it.

"Hn. temper, temper." Sasuke mused from the other side of the hall.

"Go crawl back into your hole, snake." Her voice was sharp as knives, yet it hardly scathed the younger Uchiha.

"Come now, Rei. Tell me what's gotten you so riled up,"

She couldn't help but flinch back when she noticed how much Sasuke sounded like Orochimaru.

"Do I scare you Rei?" He was Sasuke again, cocky and arrogant.

"About as much as a mouse." she replied straightening up.

"A mouse can sometimes scare a lion. Just remember that." He had her pinned to the wall suddenly, and she was scared, very scared.

"S-sasuke...?" Rei pushed on his chest trying to move him. Failing to.

"Hn," He smirked, that damn god awful smirk. "Told you," He breathed leaning closer than he needed to just scare her.

She pushed his chest harder and he only pushed on her with twice the strength in return. He ran his hand across her cheek and back through her hair smirking still. She couldn't flinch away, she could barely move, she clenched her teeth and tensed her entire body.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" She took an assertive tone, "Get off me you disgusting snake!"

He grinned and pushed harder, rubbing against her slightly. She tried to sink back and finding she couldn't, closed her eyes tight and whined, "Stop,"

"You like it," He accused.

"I-"

"Sasuke!" Kabuto's voice echoed around them. "Let go of her." He ordered.

After a moment Rei felt his body leave hers and she sprang away from the wall, realizing she would have hid behind Kabuto in the past. Now, though, she stood her ground keeping her distance from Sasuke, but not hiding. Her eyes raged at the Uchiha and he only smirked.

"Rei go back to your room." Kabuto ordered her now. She looked at him in disbelief then in defiance. "_Rei_." he said her name more strongly and she knew there was no arguing, she slunk away down the hallway. Turning her back on Sasuke didn't feel right but it felt good as she added a resilient flick of her hair in his face. Only after did it occur to her that he probably took it sexually. _Damn._ She cursed inwardly.

Her bed was soft and warm thanks to the added pillows and blankets she'd received, tokens from Kabuto. Even her room was exceptional, in size, in condition, and the addition of a bathroom. Kabuto had a hand in getting her this room, surely. Orochimaru still despised her, even if he did want her for his own use.

Seeing as Kabuto had swayed her over to Sound when no one else could, he must be getting some more luxuries than normal even if he was that snake's right hand man. She also supposed anything that kept her semi happy was important to discourage any ideas of her leaving.

Rei buried her face in the cotton stuffed pillow and took a deep breath. Sasuke was getting more careless in his attempts, both for her and for her death. Kabuto at least was catching on to it fast enough to keep her breathing, for the moment if nothing less. She would have to be more careful about being alone from now on.

The door clicked shut just then and she turned her face to the wall burying only half of it in the pillow. "What do you want?"

She heard him sigh. Intrigued she shifted to her forearms and knees before plopping down on her butt. She stared at the wall where the headboard was pressed up against it. Her hair tickled her legs on either side of her bottom, and she cast a side long glance to Kabuto, "What is it?" She pushed her fingertips into the mattress between her knees and she turned her gaze on the grayish stones again.

"Are you alright, Rei?" He asked after a moment of hesitation.

"Fine," she replied with no such pause. "You do not need to concern yourself with me, Yakushi Kabuto."

"That's where you're wrong." He was crouching on the bed in front of her, staring into her eyes, in that next instant.

"Am I?"

"Yes," He fell gently forward onto his knees, which brushed hers where they fell. His right hand caressed her cheek. It pleased him when she close her eyes and tilted into his touch. A light pink spreading over her pale cheeks.

"I still hate you," She murmured without opening her eyes.

"I know," He sighed before taking her lips.

Rei opened her eyes in shock at the suddenness of his kiss, and then she pulled away, with a sickening empty feeling in her stomach.

"I'm sorry...Rei...I..."

"Nuh-uh," She mumbled and shook her head. He only caught "Not your fault" from her murmurs.

She stared at the wall even though she knew Kabuto was hoping for a better answer. She didn't have one. Rei sighed and turned to kiss him softly, but quickly. "Not now," she breathed.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and shifted to pull her down to the bed with him. Rei snuggled next to him. "Kabuto?" She whispered after a long while of silence.

"Hm?" He prompted her.

"Do I have to fight?"

"It's what Orochimaru wants, I'm afraid I have no say in this matter."

She buried her face in his shoulder making her voice muffled, "I see..."

Kabuto wanted to run his hand through her hair but that wasn't allowed. Only Itachi could do that. So he settled for rubbing her shoulder. She clutched his opposite shoulder and tried to sink into the other one further. She shifted suddenly and crawled over him.

She went to her dresser and rummaged through it until she pulled out a ball of black fabric. Rei set it down on the top and with her back already turned pulled off her black tank-top. Kabuto caught a glimpse of her bindings and mesh shirt before he looked away.

She pulled on an over sized black T. It hung almost level with the red mini she was wearing. She slipped on a pair of black fabric and mesh shorts under the skirt. She grabbed something off the dresser top and bit it between her teeth as she grabbed up her long raven hair and tied it up fast and skillfully, before facing him again.

"I'm going to train." She told him before suddenly leaving.

Rei was doubled over, breathing heavily, sweat dripped from her forehead to the ground. Grabbing the training post for support she tried to stand straight and get her breathing back to a normal rate. Stray hair clung to her face and she brushed it back. _Maybe I did over do it a bit…_ No one but her was left in the huge training room.

"Rei," Kabuto's voice was soft, yet laced with concern. He'd come to find her in the training hall when he'd decided she'd been gone to long. Now he was worried she'd drop from exhaustion. It didn't look like she would be able to stand straight, let alone walk out of the great hall.

"I'm fine, just tired." She breathed out. "I'm going for a shower; I'll see you when I'm done." She sighed as she passed him.

She let her hair fall loose once she was in the bathroom and she ran her brush through it. Her head felt clear, like after every time she trained. She still didn't have a set plan, her plan almost was nonexistent. Rei would see how it all played out and make split second decisions. Not a great idea, but at least it was something.

The water ran through her hair soaking it along with the rest of her. It couldn't have felt better on her body.

Once she was clean and clothed she left her room with still dripping hair. Carefully checking the hall for Sasuke's presence, and finding not a trace, she walked quickly to Kabuto's room. This time she managed to knock, waiting for him to let her in.

She pressed herself to his chest as soon as the door opened and pushed them both inside. He wrapped his arms around her back and pushed the door shut with his finger tips. She buried her face in his shirt and felt him kiss the top of her hair.

She pulled away and looked up at him, "I'm tired," She sighed. Rei pulled away from him the rest of the way and walked over to his king sized bed.

His room was by far better than her own. A large bathroom, about twice the size of hers, a huge amount of room in the living area though, he didn't put it to use. All he had was one dresser, a desk and chair, a table and two chairs (the second added for her sake), and his bed with a simple night stand. The bed was the most extravagant thing, obviously the man liked to sleep comfortably. Several pillows sat on the bed in the same burgundy colored satin as the sheets and comforter. She sat down on the end of it and flopped on to her back, her wet hair splaying around her.

The bed was in the corner pressed to the back wall and the nightstand was between it and the wall, a few books scattered on the wood surface. The desk was also pressed to the back wall directly in line with the door into the room. The table was on the far wall; it was small and really only fit one person nicely. A small kitchen area was just off to the side of that. His dresser was on the front wall of the room a few feet from the door and directly in front of the bed. The rest was just open space, save for the fire place. Rei thought he needed a couch or something in the middle of the room.

Kabuto sat on the side of the bed where it was only feet from the wall. "Rei what are you thinking?" he asked suddenly breaking the sound quiet.

"Not much that you'd like to hear." She stared at the ceiling.

"Them, I see..."

He seemed to be talking to himself, but she replied anyway. "What do you 'see'?"

She sat up and stared at him waiting for an answer.

"That I'll always be second,"

**End Chapter One:**

**So Chapter Two should be up tomorrow, and possibly three. The story is complete, i just need to get it all up here, kthankx! AngelFire Rei.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know that this story may be a bit mary-sue-ish and cliche but i really wish you'd keep reading if you've come this far! Please and Thank You! Review Please to!**

**Chapter Two:**

"That I'll always be second, maybe even third." He sounded wistful.

Rei thought about that a moment, and knew it was the truth. She felt a pang of sadness as she realized she'd done that same thing to Shikamaru, given him false hope, when she'd always be loyal to Itachi first. She did it again.

"Forgive me…" She whispered, nearly inaudible. She crawled her way over to him. Pressing her front to his back, she laced her arms gently over his shoulders.

"Hm?" He glanced back at her with a tilt of his head. Her eyes were closed and a half-hearted smile held her lips.

"I never meant for this to happen," She mumbled sleepily her chin falling to his shoulder.

"Yes, I realize that." He shifted quickly out of her arms and caught her before she could fall, he held her in his arms for a moment. Just watching and wondering. Wondering how he'd fallen for her, wondering how she allowed it.

As he laid her gently down and pulled the covers over her he couldn't help but think of times when he'd tried to kill her or her him, for that matter. How ironic life could be.

His train of thought refused to let him off the ride. It kept bringing him places he'd rather not visit. Kabuto sat at his desk and looked over at her for a second before pulling out the papers he'd had in his hand when she'd burst through his door early that morning. Orochimaru was truly cruel and possibly foolish to send Rei on such a mission and with Sasuke no less.

Worst case scenario, no one would return. Second worst case scenario, they would lose either Rei or Sasuke. It was foolish hope that made Kabuto think that if they lost Rei it would be because she joined with Akatsuki and betrayed Orochimaru to them. He knew it wouldn't happen in such a way. They'd kill her for her betrayal. Itachi would probably do it himself. He scoffed.

Maybe there was a way he could get her out of it? Kabuto pushed that thought away, he knew Orochimaru was adamant about this. This battle was unavoidable.

Soon the war would come to a boil, it already slowly was. Criminal organizations were already in the heat of it, and a few of the villages like Cloud and Stone were coming to the frontlines as well. The line between ally and enemy was blurred already and only getting worse, Rei was proof of that.

He shook himself. He was thinking too much.

"Nnn…I…didn't—I…" Rei tossed in bed. Pushing a finger to his glasses, he sighed. She was probably having a nightmare again. Such a strong girl like her would never come off as the type for bad dreams, but she was that type. Kabuto looked at the papers lying on his desk and decided tomorrow would be a fine time to finish them. He didn't have to inform the squad until late tomorrow night anyway.

Kabuto stood up and stretched his arms before pushing his chair in. He walked to the bed and pulled off his shirt. He tossed the bundled fabric into the corner as he started to take his mesh shirt off as well. He kicked off his shoes and put on a pair of loose sweat pants to wear to bed.

He watched Rei for a minute before sliding in next to her. The thought crossed his mind to take her to her own room but he felt she was safer here with him. Brushing hair away from her porcelain face made his lips tug into a smile. She was angelic when she slept.

Clicking the lamp off and setting his glasses on the nightstand, Kabuto settled into bed. He felt Rei press against him her hands curled against his bare chest, her soft, rhythmic breathing tickling his neck. He held her close as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

In the morning when Kabuto woke Rei was gone. He turned over in bed regretting her absence, feeling the space was empty without her. His shirts and mesh top were hung over the chair at his desk and his pants were folding on the seat. She hated when he left his clothes on the floor, it made him grin.

There was a tap at his door, and then Rei pushed her way in with four blows of steamy food in her hands.

"Breakfast," She hummed in soft voice fit for morning time while she lifted a bowl at him.

Reaching for his glasses and grabbing them he slid from the bed and stretched his arms out. "What did you make?" He asked her as she set the bowls on the small table and seated herself.

"Miso soup, some raw egg," She pressed her finger to her bottom lip thinking about what she'd cooked, "And some rice with nori and natto." She finished as he walked over.

"You went all out," He stated.

"I was hungry," Rei explained as she started on her rice.

Kabuto took in her out fit as he sat down to eat. She had a dark blue skirt on with a black wide strapped tank-top on, the shirt had small dark red accents on the hems and on the straps. The clip in her hair above her right ear matched the red in her shirt.

"You don't pin your hair back often," he commented on it as he began to eat his miso soup.

Her fingers went up to the clip and brushed across it once, "It was falling in my way when I was cooking. Guess I forgot to take it out…"

Rei made breakfast for them often, or at least as often as she could. Though she didn't usually make so much for them, but he thought maybe she was really just hungry from her training yesterday.

Her hair that was pinned back still managed to fall over her shoulder, "What do you think will happen today?" she asked as he eyes dropped from his.

He thought about that a moment, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know what's gonna happen today," she stared desperately into his gray eyes. "But it won't be anything good." She finished and looked away as she moved to get up. She rushed for the door, she needed to get out.

Kabuto grabbed her wrist just as her fingertips brushed the doorknob. "Rei,"

"Let go of me, Kabuto." She stressed each word with pain in her voice. When she sounded such he had no choice but to listen to her. His grip loosened then disappeared and she fled out the door.

Running to her room, Rei tried to calm herself. She couldn't do anything now to change what she'd done in the past, but as her feet pounded the stone floor she wished she could go back and never leave Itachi.

* * *

Orochimaru sat in his chair as though it were his thrown; Kabuto stood next to him and looked at the small group. Sasuke, Rei, and one other nin Rei did not know.

"You will go through this route into Hidden Waterfall." Kabuto pointed out the path on the map he held. "Once there you will take out the patrol of Waterfall nin coming to Oto."

That was the mission, but not the plan. The mission was a cover for the plan to fight Akatsuki, who happened to be coincidently stationed there. They were going to fight Akatsuki at some point on this venture, it was guaranteed.

"Move out," Orochimaru's hiss startled her and she locked eyes with Kabuto for a moment before turning and reluctantly following Sasuke out of the room, the hideout and into the forest.

"Nobu, keep watch for anyone with in hundred meters of us." Sasuke's first order rang loud and clear.

He glanced back at Rei, and an odd look crossed his features for a second. Was that worry in his eyes? He motioned her forward and hesitantly she paced him.

"What?" She demanded in a silent breath.

"Don't do anything stupid," He said harshly.

"Like what?" She growled at him, "Do think I'm going to yell out "We're right here come kill us" in enemy territory?"

He shot her a dagger filled glare. "You know what I mean."

"No, actually I don't." She tried to hide her confusion behind anger and sarcasm.

He looked at her like she was an ignorant child needing to be lead by the hand. "If you try to switch sides in this fight, I'll kill you myself." He spat.

"You'd kill me yourself anyway," She raged.

"Hn," He smirked at her anger and dodged under a branch as they ran through the trees.

"Besides…I'm not welcome back there…" Her heart sank with the truth of her own words.

"It's your own damn fault." He said, but then added. "I told you he didn't care about you enough to follow you like you followed him and now he'll kill you." His tone changed in that last sentence. Even though he said a lot more than that, it sounded like "I'm sorry."

She fell back with out another word, even if he felt pitied toward her she knew he still wanted her dead more than many things.

She pulled up the zipper on her gray sweat shirt; the pace they set was chilling her. Her knees and thighs were cold but she didn't have anything to cover them with. Her red mini skirt and shorts combo hadn't been the best choice today. Neither had the tank-top, but at least she'd had enough sense to grab her sweat shirt.

Much too quickly it seemed they crossed the boarder into Waterfall, and Sasuke halted them.

"Nobu." Sasuke waved the brown haired man over, and he crouched beside the Uchiha. "How many are there?"

"I can sense at least twelve, sir." Nobu answered and in almost the same breath added, "No twenty," he paused and seemed to check something, "There's eight more coming in from the right."

"Hn," Sasuke smirked obviously itching for the battle. "Rei, Nobu, each of you take six of them out, I'll take the remaining eight." He decided that quickly.

Rei reached out her senses to the group that was not far from them in the distance, then to the group coming in on them. "No," Rei breathed to loud and Sasuke looked back at her.

"Rei?"

She had to give him an answer. "The eight coming…are Akatsuki, I can sense Itachi…" She grimaced and held the almost overwhelming tears inside.

"Even better," Sasuke grinned.

"Sasuke, you can't take on eight Akatsuki alone." Rei blurted out without thinking. Stupid.

He looked at her questioningly. "You want him?"

"Please let me fight him, Sasuke, I'm begging you!" She knew that line would work, he liked when she begged. She bit back her devilish grin.

The younger Uchiha was outwardly amused by her request. "Just don't kill him, that's for me to do."

Rei could barely stay in her crouch as Sasuke consented to her request.

"Nobu and I can handle the rest while you deal with him then. Now, on my signal…Go!"

Rei shot through the leaves and into the clearing where the Waterfall shinobi stood, she was only there a moment before she veered right and down a path that would lead her straight into the Akatsuki ambush.

A breeze tickled her throat as a shadowy cloak danced around to her back pressing a cool blade to her soft flesh.

"Seeing you here gives me great pleasure, Rei." His voice was calm velvet.

"Itachi," Her voice was pleading, on the verge of tears, and no more than a whimper.

"You betrayed us." He stated coolly, "The others wish to kill you swiftly, I won't be so merciful." He jumped back from her a good twenty feet and she spun to face him.

The trees loomed above them and the wind stirred the leaves at their feet up around them. She stared down the path way into his swirling crimson eyes. _Itachi…_

**End Chapter Two:**

**Thank you for reading this far please keep going! I'll love you forever if you read my story!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to anyone who has read this far, I hope you like what you're reading and if you don't, well, leave a review explaining why, just as long as its not "Oh your character is a mary-sue" or the like. I already know that she is a bit mary-sue ish...I'm still working on that. **

**Chapter Three:**

"You betrayed us, Rei." His eyes swirled into black pinwheels. _Mangekyo Sharingan…_

"I won't deny the truth." Rei was thankful for the strength of her voice. She would have thought she'd sound much weaker.

Itachi only took one step forward that she could see, but in the next instant he was directly in front of her. His eyes, his voice, the red clouds of his cloak, the way he moved, she stilled loved every thing about him, it made her smile as it stirred a soft memory for her.

His look questioned her, and she looked up at him. "Itachi, do you remember when you first told me that you loved me?" She looked so hard into his eyes for any sign that he remembered, or that he didn't like her to bring it up, but saw nothing. "You were carrying me home from a battle and you told me how stupid and reckless I'd been. Itachi, you said you couldn't bare it if I died, because you _loved_ me." Her voice was soft and filled with the memory, her eyes filling with pleasant tears.

Remaining the same cold assassin he was he said, "Yes, I remember."

"It makes me very happy," She smiled with eyes closed and tears streaking her cheeks. Her happiness though was lost on him, as she knew it would be. But she wanted him to know, needed him to.

Soon her tears stopped and she was able to look at him and ask, "I'm foolish aren't I?"

"Yes," He attacked almost before he finished his answer.

A kunai of her own flew up to block his. Jumping out of the way a moment to late as the bushin faded to mist; Itachi caught her by the wrist and slammed her into the nearest tree. Her chest pressed painfully against the rough bark as he pinned her there.

"What do they know?" He asked harshly tugging her hair to turn her face to the side.

Her eye that could see him flashed to his face then away. "Orochimaru knows where Akatsuki's old hideouts are, and some of the meeting places…" She trailed off.

Pushing her harder against the tree with the full of his own body she could barely breathe. "What else?"

"Nothing important…things we…"She squeaked out. "Did in the past… I didn't give him anything about Akatsuki's plans…he already…" She coughed and tried to breath. Itachi loosened his hold just enough for her to finish, "…knows about the rings, the tailed beasts…" She coughed again and heard him drawn a kunai.

She fought against him as she drew chakra quickly to her back where he touched her and shocked him with a low electric attack. She thanked god that she'd picked up some of the Ishida style attacks even if she never received the kekkei genkai.

Her body tensed for the coming fight. Itachi had disappeared but she knew he would be coming back at her any moment. She felt his attack coming from behind her and turned to defend herself but some how she was knocked down.

Rolling out of the way of the barrage of shuriken and kunai aimed at her, she jumped to her feet firing off three kunai of her own. She followed up the kunai with a chakra filled punch that he easily blocked but she got a kick in that made him stumble backwards.

The opportunity presented its self for her to use her fire jutsu. She flew through the hands seal in the blink of an eye, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger, "Katon: Goukakyu no jutsu!"

A spout of fire burst out from her aimed for Itachi, but when it hit dead on she felt neither joy nor pain, just numbness.

"Rei, you can't possibly think that was enough," His voice echoed around her and she felt fairly stupid as she looked back and forth around herself trying to find him.

"Where…"Rei breathed. She caught it, a ripple of fabric receding into the trees.

Not thinking, Rei followed him into the darkness…

Rei lay panting on the ground, she had to resist coughing because of a searing pain in her side where she was certain two or three ribs were broken; she looked to her left and saw the river bubbling past just feet away. Unsure of how she ended up in a ravine that was no where near the original battle, Rei could only guess Itachi brought them here purposefully. When her eyes cast upward once more she saw him standing above her on the edge of the rift.

Did he really try to grab her when she fell from the side? Or was that just an illusion her mind played for her to make dieing easier? He watched her as she struggled to get to her knees.

The rocky ground cut into the bare skin of her legs as she moved to her knees, and dirt stung a large gash on her upper right arm, some where in the struggles she lost her sweat shirt. Spitting out the blood in her mouth made it only slightly easier to get air to her lungs.

A glint of metal in the sun told her he'd drawn a kunai, flicking it from its holster. _Damn it…I hate when Sasuke's right…_She clenched her teeth.

Just as Itachi disappeared from the cliff a body was at her side lifting her. She stifled a shriek as she looked into Sasuke's onyx eyes for a second before he pulled them both out of the way of Itachi's assault.

"S-Sasuke?" Rei choked.

"Orochimaru asked me to keep you alive. Don't read into it, I still want you dead." His voice was cold.

As they landed about forty feet where Itachi stood, Sasuke dropped her to the ground. She hissed with pain, "Damn it…"

"What?" Sasuke looked at her disdainfully.

"Broke…a couple of ribs," She grimaced, "When I fell…"

"Useless…" Sasuke muttered as he drew his katana from the sheath at his back.

Itachi and Sasuke were locked in their own battle as soon as their blades met. Rei watched as Sasuke fought—rather unskillfully—against his brother. He was blind with rage, and wouldn't win that way. Itachi dodged almost every attack—

Itachi coughed up blood suddenly, Rei forcibly held in a shocked gasp. What happened? What had she not see? Sasuke smirked very calmly. Was he just pretending to be enraged?

As Sasuke pulled back his kusanagi she saw the reddened edge. Itachi stumbled back, before a poof of smoke replaced his body. With small satisfaction Rei heard Sasuke hiss a curse.

Itachi was behind him now.

Something rustled behind her and without turning to look she sensed a familiar chakra. Kisame was behind her. She didn't know what was happening with the two brothers.

She was on her feet even though every moved was laced with pain. Facing the shark man in this condition was highly stupid, but she wasn't going to sit there and die.

"Heh, heh, still spunky as ever I see." Kisame's gravely laugh used to warm her, she never really thought about how scary it could be if you were the victim.

Rei couldn't see how she would be able to fight him as she watched him grab the handle of his Samehada and bring it around him.

"Kisame…It's _so_ good to see you…" She bit back a groan of agony as her side protested the movement when she stepped away from the bulky shinobi before her.

He grinned showing all of his teeth and charged her. She tried to knock him off balance by getting around back of him and slamming into him, then going down to swipe his knee with a strained kick. She knew that Samehada was already stealing away what little chakra she had left.

She jumped away landing horribly as he tried to strike at her with his huge weapon. When she landed she sensed to things, terrible pain in her side, and two more chakras landing in the vicinity. Deidara and Sasori she deduced from the chakra signatures.

They were going to die. There was no way that Sasuke and her would live through a fight with four Akatsuki, and there were probably more on the way to worsen the odds.

"Sasuke!" Rei yelled to him as she put a lot of distance between her and Kisame.

The younger Uchiha landed back to back with her, "Lets get out of here. Now." He ordered as he took of leaping easily up the ravine wall. She followed him ignoring her aching side. She felt the four shinobi coming behind them and ignore that to.

"What about Nobu?" Rei looked back the way they'd come as if the other shinobi would be there.

"He's dead."

Rei looked back to Sasuke and didn't think about they're other member again as she followed him through the thick trees back to Oto. _I'm alive…_

**End Chapter Three:**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Thanks for reading, and giving an OC story a chance, --to anyone thats actually read it._**

**Chapter Four:**

She lay on the cold surface of Kabuto's operating table while he worked on her "badly broken" ribs. Rei was positive Kabuto had thought about slashing Sasuke's throat for not carrying her back more than once.

His skillful hands hovered over her left side where she had four broken ribs. His chakra slowly flowed into her as he fixed each rib with extra care. She tried to pay attention to his slow and steady breathing, and not the pain, or the hot feel of his chakra inside her.

"Rei how'd you get this torn up?" He asked suddenly.

She didn't realize he hadn't even asked until now, he'd wanted to start healing her wounds the moment she got back.

"I felt off a cliff into a gully…"

She saw him shake his head as he did a last check over of her ribs and probably her lung, just in case. That was his way.

"It'll be tender for awhile, go easy on it for a couple of days. Tell me if you feel any pai—"

"I know, I know…" She waved him off the big, long, medic speech. She started sliding gently off the table, but Kabuto grabbed her shoulders pushing her back in place.

"Let me clean that out too." He gestured to her upper arm.

She didn't say anything just nodded and gazed at him as he dabbed medicine onto some gauze which he then gently rubbed over her cut. The antiseptic stung and felt icy as he rubbed it around and in the wound.

He cleaned away the blood that was on the outer edges of the wound and inspected it.

"I'll have to stitch this up…" He mumbled to himself.

"Just heal it." Rei snapped. Her patience wearing thin, she was tired and hungry and she felt disgusting.

He glared at her, "You can't have everything healed by medical jutsu, you know what happens, don't you?"

"Of course." She gritted her teeth, he was pissing her off. "But I don't care. Heal it." She glared back.

"I won't heal this for you." He told her as he reached for I needle on the tray next to the table and threaded it.

"I said heal it! I'll go find someone else if you won't—"

He stabbed the needle through her skin and made the first stitch. That pain must have been worse than the initial injury itself, Rei cringed and clenched her fists tight.

She hissed, "Numb it first, asshole!" Her fingers gripped the edge of the table. Rei reminded herself just how cruel Kabuto could be, she'd forgotten.

"You're too reckless Rei." He sighed as he injected the area around her gash to numb it.

She turned away from him and didn't answer. She'd gotten far too comfortable here; it was reckless, the way she lived now. With Akatsuki she really had been safe to live so freely. Here it was another matter. Everyone here wanted to harm her, except maybe Kabuto, but at one point he too would have killed her.

He snipped the needle off, "Done," He murmured. He looked up at her and it was obvious she was lost in her own thoughts again. She was nipping her bottom lip.

Pushing her way past him she didn't even mumbled a 'goodbye' or a 'thank you'.

Rei must have replayed the fight in her head a hundred times, and only just now she remembered what Sasuke had said about Orochimaru. Why would Orochimaru want her alive suddenly? Unless…he wanted her to tell him more about Akatsuki, but what didn't he know? Between what he'd previously known, and what she'd offered up to him, he should have known pretty much everything.

Her slow pace down the hall gave her time to think. Maybe it was just Itachi he wanted information on. That idea seemed more practical. She didn't know what else fit.

She walked by an open room and saw that Sasuke was inside; tending his own wounds it looked like. "Sasuke?" She leaned on the doorframe, and waited for an answer.

"Hn, go away, Rei." He didn't have to look up to know it was her.

What was she doing? Oh well, she was already wading in the shallows, might as well have a swim.

Taking a step forward then another she slowly brought herself over to him. He looked up at her with the end of a bandage in between his teeth while he wrapped the other around it and pulled it tight.

When the bandage fell from his lips he said, "I told you to go away." Then he looked away.

She ignored him, "Are you alright?" He glared at her and she smirked. "You almost had him," She stated dryly, realizing the cause of his foul mood.

"Rei," He ground out, "What do you want?"

She hesitated wondering if maybe this was a bad idea, but he did ask, so, "What did you mean, when you said Orochimaru wanted you to keep me alive?"

His glared subsided for a more pleased looked. "He was rather adamant that I bring you back alive. I don't know why, so don't ask that next."

"Why?" Rei breathed.

"I just told you not to—" Sasuke's agitated retort was cut short.

"No, I mean, why did you do it? Why did you listen to him?"

"I have my own plans, and if keeping you alive for now allows me to keep following them, I'll kill you later."

"Heh, lovely." A strand of her long hair fell over her shoulder as she crossed her arms. She watched Sasuke pull his shirt back over his arm.

"If you're so curious about it, maybe you should go ask him yourself." Sasuke said as he walked past her.

Turning to follow him out she sighed, "I'm not that crazy,"

"Hn, maybe you should be." Rei looked at Sasuke questioningly. He was never so light, or joking. He pulled the door shut behind them and started down the hall the way she'd come.

"Sasuke…" Rei started, he turned back to her. "Don't…" she shook her head, what was she trying to say? "Never mind." She sighed feeling foolish and started down the hall.

"Rei. Finish what you started." Sasuke said in his authoritative tone.

"Uh…well," She didn't turn back around because she was blushing with embarrassment, "Don't…don't beat yourself up about today, I mean…there'll be other chances…uh! Not that I think you can ever beat him...but…" She stopped realizing she was babbling.

"You talk too much,"

* * *

Starting to think Sasuke was right…again, Rei wondered if she should go see Orochimaru. It may be the only way she'd get any answers. Letting her book drop to the floor, she rolled carefully to her back. Her side was tender like Kabuto had said, but that was nothing compared to the pain she would be suffering from had he not healed it.

"Argh!" _I have too much on my mind…_

She was pissed with Kabuto(for no good reason), wondering what Orochimaru was up to, thinking random thoughts about Itachi, replaying the fights over and over, and…worried about Sasuke.

Yep, the check list was full and the last one was just not right, Sasuke could go drown himself in a puddle, yet she was worried about him, yeah, right, normal thoughts. Rei wondered how her mind could even hold it all.

She sat up stiffly and walked over to her dresser. Couldn't this be easier some how, say, without having to go see Orochimaru? Of course not. Rei ran a brush through the tangles in her hair, pulled on a different shirt and checked herself over in the mirror before she Okayed herself.

Unsure of exactly what she wanted to say to Orochimaru, she walked through the maze like hideout to his cambers. This would certainly be a surprise for him considering she'd never sought him out, save for the times he'd called on her.

Just over a year and a half, that's how long she'd been here already. In that time there were two things she'd hardly done, one was seeing Orochimaru, and two was leaving the compound. It had been a long year and a half, yet it had passed quickly.

She turned the corner to Orochimaru's room and shivered. Her hand brushed against the heavy wooden door before she knocked on it.

"Yes?" A snaky hissing voice called out.

"I-its Rei, I need to talk to you." She raised her voice hoping it would be enough to reach him.

"Ah, Rei-chan, please come in," Orochimaru's voice sounded closer the second time.

The hinges of the door squealed open and she entered letting the door bang heavily back in place. The main room was simple, a book shelf and a table with three chairs was pressed to the back wall. His "throne" chair stood almost center in the room and that was it. A door in the back corner lead off to god knows where, the one on the right wall went to Orochimaru's actual room, the one on the left lead to his lab. The thought of that place made her shudder. Orochimaru was walking toward her from that door, wiping his hands on a grubby hand towel.

"What's troubling you, my dear Rei-chan?" He asked as he stopped a few feet in front of her.

She hesitated trying to figure out what to say. "Well…something Sasuke said to me…it's bugging me…" She fought for the right words.

"Hm?" Orochimaru seemed patient, but she wondered if he was angry that she didn't know what she wanted to say.

"He said you'd asked him…to make sure I was…kept alive…"

"And you're wondering why?" There was a glint in his eyes that said "Dangerous, run, run like prey." Oh how she wanted to heed that warning.

She nodded, not wanting to say anything else to him. Hoping he'd just talk, explain himself completely enough that all her questions would be answered with out a Russian roulette style game of twenty questions.

He smirked at her and she attempted to keep from flinching. The snake like shinobi stepped toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder, looking her deep in the eyes. "Because your very important, Rei."

"Why?" What did he suddenly find "important" about her?

"It's very simple. I can't honestly believe that you don't see it." He looked at her for a moment, "But you truly don't see it, do you?"

"No, I don't." She looked angrily up at him then down. His hand on her shoulder moved to her chin, bringing her face up to meet his.

The snake smiled at her, "Uchiha Itachi loves you."

_What?_

"You still don't understand," He chuckled obvious amusement showing on his face. This only made her angrier. Infuriated even, who the hell was he to say that Itachi loved her?

"What do you mean "Itachi loves me"?" she tried not to scream, was this his own kind of sick joke?

"Its true, is it not?" He sounded smug.

She ignored his last question, "You didn't want me alive so badly before, why now?"

"Something was brought to my attention not to long ago that would prove your death would be in bad health for me." He paused to glance back at something. "If I were to just let you die, or kill you, Itachi would eventually come for us."

"Because he loves me?" Rei confirmed.

"Yes," Orochimaru agreed.

"Then, answer me this. Why did he go all out to kill me yesterday?"

"Did he really go all out or is that just your perspective?" He questioned her and she remembered thinking Itachi tried to catch her.

If he had wanted to kill her, really wanted to, wouldn't he have come down right away and done the job? Could he have been in shock? Maybe he thought he'd let her die? No, there had been pure bloodlust in his eyes; he must have wanted her dead. But…what if the bloodlust she saw wasn't for her blood, but someone else's, what then?

"But what if I were to switch sides?" Rei thought out loud without meaning to.

"Then Sasuke would kill you both," Orochimaru answered.

"Rei?" Kabuto's voice sounded from behind them, "What're you doing here? You should be resting."

Orochimaru leaned in close, "One piece of advice, don't switch sides." He whispered into her ear before letting her chin drop. "Kabuto would you please escort Rei back to her room." Orochimaru spoke past her as though she were no longer there.

She turned robotically to look back as Kabuto nodded. She wanted to walk over to him but…_Sasuke would kill you both…_She shuddered.

"Come on, Rei." The gray-haired medic motioned, waving her to him.

Just as mechanically as she'd turned, she walked over to him. His hand brushed the back of her shoulder to push her through the door. Her legs felt like steel, her stomach twisted in knots.

He looked worriedly at her several times as he lead them further and further from Orochimaru, but her face was black. Her feet moved only because he was pushing her onward. It took him a while to realize how rigid her body was.

"Rei, Rei are you alright?" Kabuto demanded in a hushed voice.

"…No…I…I feel sick…" She doubled over clutching her stomach her, face suddenly pale. When he spoke she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Rei!" He knelt beside her. Feeling her forehead for fever, checking her pulse on her neck, "Do you feel nauseous?"

She nodded holding her stomach tighter. What did it all mean; she needed to think clearly without thinking about the worst of what Orochimaru had told her. "K-Kabuto…take me to…m-my room…"

He slipped his hands around her with a silent nod to her request. Lifting her gently with ease, he took her to his room instead. By the time he actually reached his room she'd relaxed her hold on her stomach and pressed against him, holding on to his shoulder with one free hand and burying her face into the other. "What did he say to you…?" Kabuto whispered to himself as he watched her in dismay.

When he softly pulled back the cover of his bed and set her down she protested with a murmured 'don't let go' that made him smile despite himself. Undoing her boots and pulling them off, Kabuto let them fall to the floor next to the bed. She'd yell at him for that later. Resting a knee on the bed side he leaned over her to take off her black sweat shirt.

Kabuto unzipped the garment and carefully slid it off her arms, then out from under her. She had on a long sleeved shirt that didn't look comfortable to sleep in. So going to his dresser he pulled out one of his t-shirts, it would be over sized on her but she usually like to sleep in larger shirts.

Just as carefully as he pulled off the sweat shirt he started on her long sleeved one.

"Think you're gonna get lucky?" She asked groggily. Unable to open her eyes, or just not wanting to, she sighed. The sickening wave of nausea had passed for the moment.

He pulled back a moment, "N-no, I thought you were asleep," Her lips curved sweetly in a half smile.

"Some medic you are," The smile tugged the corners of her lips higher. She opened her eyes up a little and saw the shirt he was holding in his other hand.

"I thought you might sleep better in this," He looked down at it.

"Hm, yea looks comfy." She sounded like a child when she spoke like that, even though she was going on nineteen. Now that made him smile gently.

She helped to put the shirt on her and then she flopped back down to the bed with another strong wave of nausea. Curling herself into a ball helped a little but not much. A pillow tucked against her belly and knees helped a great deal even if she still was doubled in on herself.

Sweat beaded on her forehead after the second round passed. "Sorry…that I snapped at you…earlier." She muttered.

He ran a cold cloth over her slightly hot skin, "Shhh…that doesn't matter now." The medic couldn't resist kissing her forehead; Rei rolled under him onto her back and pressed a soft kiss of her own to his neck. "We were both stressed,"

"I think we still are," She mumbled as he pulled away from her.

**End Chapter Four:**

**_KIMI KIA! YESH YOU! KIM! You should call me when you finish this one_**

**Thanks for reading, now please Review, you know you wanna click that button, it calls to you, you know it does!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'd love to see reviews please? I know that its an OC story and people don't like them much but please??**

**Thanks to anyone that has reviewed! Enjoy Chapter five, cause it was a pain in the arse! I had to rewrite it a few times, anyway enjoy...  
**

**Chapter Five:**

Rei woke up in the middle of the night and felt that her fever had gone, she didn't feel sick any more, and so that was a relief. She shivered and snuggled closer to Kabuto who breathed steadily next to her.

"How do you feel," His soft voice startled her.

"…better now…" She yawned.

His hand pressed her forehead and she opened her eyes again, "…said I was fine."

"Just checking," he murmured, "You can't risk infection…"

"…Told you to heal them," Rei looked up at him when she realized she'd hit a sore note. "Sorry…" She added quickly.

Kabuto kissed her gently on the lips, and brushed his fingers over her cheek as she leaned into the kiss. She should stop, he should stop, they both knew it, but they couldn't bring themselves to do so.

She may never love him like she loved Itachi, and he could never love her like he wanted because he'd always be tied to Orochimaru. But somehow in the twisted mind of Fate, they fell in love, no matter how rocky it was, it was a love no less.

She rested her head back on the pillow but also moved to push him off of her. She pulled her shirt back in place as well. He moved next to her and pulled the blanket over her. "Its cold I'll start a fire…" He muttered.

In a few moments she could hear the fire crackling softly and see the dim glow it cast. Then Kabuto was shifting his way back into the bed. She let her eyes drift to him.

_I love you…_She wouldn't say it out loud, she couldn't. It would make it more than she wanted it to be, not that it wasn't already there.

* * *

Rei held her side as she bent to pick up her favorite pair of boots that Kabuto had _dropped_ on the floor. She found her sweat shirt a few feet away from there. She wasn't sure where her long sleeve ended up; she thought it might be still in the bed. But she didn't want to look for it and wake up Kabuto.

Sitting in the chair at his desk she slipped her boots on and pulled off Kabuto's shirt, opting for just her sweat shirt.

The door shut softly behind her as she headed back to her room. Her boots clicked softly on the stone floor and she concentrated on the rhythm.

She stepped into her room that was extremely cold. The fire place quickly became her first priority.

Her room was set up much differently than Kabuto's. Her bathroom was on the right and the small kitchen was tucked into the corner of the right wall and the front wall. Her table had four chairs and was bigger than Kabuto's. She had it pulled out near the kitchen corner but not so far out into the room that it was a bothersome.

Her bed was in the corner of the left and back wall with the dresser just a few feet down on the left wall. Her desk was in front of the room's free corner, a little waste paper basket next to it. Rei was glad that her front door was more to the right side of the room than the middle because it gave her room for a nice big bookshelf at the front of the room near her desk. A big comfy armchair was in the corner of the bookshelf and wall, facing away from the door.

The fireplace was in the middle of the back wall, she laid a soft carpet in front of it and a long couch was pulled out a couple feet back from the fireplace but close enough to be comfortable. There was a long narrow table behind the couch with two piles of books on them, her favorites.

Once the fire was going nice and steady Rei sat back on the couch to rest, her side ached a bit and she remembered Kabuto's warning to go easy. So she stretched out on the cushions and dozed off for a while by the warm fire.

* * *

The fire had gone cold and Rei shivered as she tried rekindling it. When she'd looked at the clock in the kitchen area she couldn't believe that she'd slept the whole day. And even more amazing than that, she was still tired. Deciding to read a chapter or two in her current book—which was still on the floor by her bed—while she ate, she grabbed the book and turned on the stove.

She just had a bit of rice and green tea as she read her book at the table. Eating slowly, and reading fast, Rei nibbled at her rice, and sipped her tea, religiously flipping a page after about four bites. After she read a third chapter she stopped to finish her meal.

Rei left the book on the table and the firing dieing as she headed to Kabuto's room for the night. It felt almost stupid to spend the night there, go back to her room and sleep the day away, to only go back again the next night.

As she turned the handle she saw his light was still on and he was at his desk.

"You're still awake?" She wondered aloud.

"Hm?" He turned sideways in his chair looking at her, "Oh, Rei…" He put the book he was reading down.

She walked over and looked at what he was reading; it was a medical rarities book or something like that, "Having a problem?"

"Something like that." He chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

Taking in his appearance Rei noticed he wasn't in his normal out fit, today he was in black pants and a black mesh shirt. She'd changed into a slightly longer skirt than normal, but still wore one of her black tank-tops that she was fond of.

"Nothing I can help with?" She asked smiling.

His face went cold, "No. Don't worry about it."

She hadn't missed the warning in his voice but pretended as though she may have. "Okay, well I'm tired." Rei sat on the edge of her side of the bed, while Kabuto went back to his medical book. If she didn't need to be concerned with it, she wouldn't concern herself with it.

Her boots were tucked in the corner next the bed, neatly. As Rei lay down to the pillows she felt a sharp pain in her side, cringed and grabbed it. "K-Kabuto I think I hurt…my side again…"

The med nin was at her side in a second, lifting her shirt out of the way and pushing chakra into her body once more.

"What is it?" Rei asked as she felt his chakra flow pick up and start working her insides.

"It doesn't look like anything has re-broken." He explained. "You probably just strained it."

"Oh…that's good." Rei thought out loud.

"Yes." He nodded, "You are taking it easy though aren't you?" He looked at her waiting for her to reassure him.

"I basically slept on the couch all day except for this past hour when I sat at the table eating." She explained. "I haven't done anything stressful."

"Stress is something of body and mind…" Kabuto murmured.

* * *

Rei fumbled with the knob, balancing her books in one arm and trying to twist the metal handle at the same time. As her small tower of books began to topple she grabbed it with both hands steadying it. To her surprise, the door popped open, seemingly of its own will. Then she noted that Sasuke was next to her.

"You're so useless." He grumbled as he took half the stack from her.

"…Didn't ask for your help…" She grumbled back.

She set the books on the table behind the couch and Sasuke followed suit. Turning to him she glared for a moment, watching him watch her, as he slowly became uncomfortable with her eyes glued to him. "So what do you want?" she finally asked easing his un-comfort.

Sasuke looked away from her and she knew that she'd succeeded in making him uncomfortable. She couldn't help but grin. "Orochimaru wants to see you." Her smiled faded.

That name made her skin crawl. "Why? Did he say?"

He looked at her, not answering, or rather, his silence was his answer.

"Of course not…" She muttered to herself. Rei walked over to her dresser and dug through the top drawer of shirts. Pulling out a clean gray wide strap tank-top she turned around to change into it.

She felt her eye twitch, "Some privacy please?"

The corner of his lips tugged up in a grin as he left. Payback. Sasuke didn't play fair, she made a mental note.

Tugging the black tank-top off and replacing it with the clean gray one, she checked herself. Pulling a brush through her hair, and tying a black ribbon around her neck with the bow in front, she completed her outfit by switching to her black boots with gray clasps to match her shirt. She wiggled her toes in the open air and leaned back on her heels as she looked in the mirror.

Her fingers brushed the soft fabric around her neck, she missed her sharingan pendant. She sighed as the door clicked behind her. She was reluctantly replying to Orochimaru's call yet again.

* * *

"Oh, my lovely Rei." Orochimaru greeted her as she entered.

By the looks of it, she'd walked in on a meeting. Her cheeks felt suddenly hot with slight embarrassment as she slid over to Kabuto's side.

A table had been placed in front of Orochimaru's chair, where he was currently seated. Sasuke, who was standing on Orochimaru's right, grinned at her. Kabuto, on Orochimaru's left, slid his hand into hers as she stepped up beside him, giving it a little squeeze.

Rei quickly took in the others around them, first noting the foul mouthed girl standing near Sasuke. Her name was Yaeko, though she went by just Yae. That girl had nothing but rude, vulgar things to say. Her light black hair was cut short, and hung just below her ears and puffed out around her head, with bangs that fell in the way of her matching gray-black eyes. She wore a pair of tightly fitted brown shorts and a revealing low cut white shirt that clung to the sides of her shoulders.

Hoshu was standing just off to the side of her; there wasn't much to this man but scars and silence. He had dark brown hair and wore normal black shinobi wear.

The man and the woman next to Hoshu, Rei didn't recognize so she skipped over them. A young shinobi called Jun was a person down from her. Truthfully he didn't seem to fit into this group of criminals; he looked better suited to be a chunin for one of the villages. He was dressed in a typical sound outfit, giant purple rope belt and all.

Kouhei was next to her. In many ways he reminded her of Kisame. He was certainly about the same size. This man was usually light spirited, joking, if not quite the same type of jokes Kisame would prefer, he laughed none the less. Never being anything but kind to Rei, won him some points in her book, even if they'd only spoken a handful of times.

Ten, there were ten around the table, an odd group, and an even more odd number for Orochimaru to choose. He was up to something on a larger scale than normal.

"Rei, I trust you'll be able to catch up to what we're discussing." Orochimaru addressed her as she came up to the table.

"Yes, sir." She nodded slightly as she squeezed Kabuto's hand gently.

All eyes that had turned to her, turned away. Kabuto's hand left hers to come above the table and point to a map that was laid out. "As I was saying we've received information that Iwa and Kumo will be fighting here within a few days time."

Rei's eyes went to the stop he pointed to. _Ah, but that's in Waterfall country, why would Stone and Cloud fight there…unless…oh no…_

"Now that Taki has joined Kumo and Iwa's war like we planned we can easily enter the battle on any side we want. And the opportunity has presented itself," Orochimaru hissed in obvious satisfaction.

"Exactly, and seeing as Cloud has the greatest resources it would be in our best interest to aid them." Kabuto added as he pushed on the bridge of his glasses. "Stone will cross into Waterfall's borders to deliver trade goods to them, but they don't know that Could will be there waiting for them, along with Sound."

_You'll only turn on them once you've beaten Leaf…_Rei glared at Orochimaru.

"Wait," The red haired woman Rei didn't know spoke up.

"What is it, Kasai-san?" Orochimaru looked up at her.

"How can we just jump to their aid, when they haven't even asked for our help—unless…they already have." She deduced as she spoke. "I see,"

"Only Iwagakure has not requested our support." Kabuto informed the red-head.

"I see," she breathed again. Rei noticed how elegant sounding her voice was.

"Those stubborn bastards are just to fucking proud," Yae cursed.

"So, what do we do then, Orochimaru-sama?" Hoshu asked.

"We help our struggling friends, of course." The Snake answered almost sounding giddy. "Each of you will lead a squad into Kumogakure and lend them a hand where they need it."

_WHAT! I can't lead a squad for Sound! He's out of his mind! _Rei's thoughts screamed, but nothing had changed on the outside. She still stood listening to the others talk, apparently awaiting further instruction from either Orochimaru or Kabuto now.

She caught the sideways glance Kabuto gave her and shook her head slightly. She'd deal with it, if she had too.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto started, giving Rei another side long glance before leaning to whisper into his lord's ear.

There wasn't one person in the room who wasn't curious but no one dared ask. They reduced themselves to watching and waiting.

"Ah," Orochimaru glanced her way, she didn't meet his eyes, but rather pretended to be watching Sasuke. "I see. Yes that should be fine…very, interesting." A smile crossed his lips.

Orochimaru was looking straight at her now, she couldn't help but look back at him. "What?" She demanded.

"Kabuto-kun has requested that you be added to his squad. If, of course that's alright with you, Rei-chan?"

"As if I have the choice." Rei's angry gaze turned on Kabuto, making him shrink back slightly.

She let the anger wash over her as she looked around at the mildly interested faces, stopping when she heard whispering. "Little runt couldn't lead her own squad anyway," Rei heard Yae tell Sasuke as she leaned up to his ear. She watched a grin form on his lips.

"What was that you dirty little whore?" Rei's hand came down on the table with a loud smack. Her fury resounded around the room.

"Rei," She barely caught Kabuto's soft, cautious, warning.

"You wanna go bitch?" Yae slapped both of her hands down on the table.

"Bring it!" Rei challenged, showing no sign of backing down.

Orochimaru sat smiling at the show the two girls put on. Everyone else was on edge, either ready to back away or hold one girl or the other back.

Gray-black melted with crimson as they began to stare each other down. Rei saw the flicker in Yae's eye just before she launched herself over the table toward her.

She flicked a kunai from the holster at her thigh. As Yae ran across the length of the table she neared the last stride and Rei prepared to defend herself.

As Rei moved to leap at her opponent, she watched as arms flashed around the girl and held her still, at the same moment she felt herself being restrained, a hand taking a firm hold on her wrist making her drop the kunai she held. She glanced back to see Kabuto watching Orochimaru, then back to Yae struggling in the arms of Kasai.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," The red-haired woman scolded. "Looks like someone else can't handle the responsibility of a squad."

"Ahh!…Let go of me you skank!" Yae fought her captor.

Rei realized that she'd missed some signal from Orochimaru to stop the fight.

"Now, ladies, please do behave yourselves." He laughed. Then his stern gaze sought out Yaeko. "You will be under Kasai's leadership now, until you can prove yourself ready to lead one of _my_ squads."

"Damn it…" Yae hissed under her breath, before aiming a death glare at Rei.

"You all are dismissed, we'll meet again tomorrow to discuss this further." The snake shinobi waved them off. Yet Kabuto's grip remained like a stone vice, holding her where she stood.

She watched Kasai and Yae leave the table and make there way out, the girls eyes locked, watching each other until they no longer could. They watched everyone file out before he would let go.

"You should have let me teach her a lesson," Rei complained as Kabuto released her.

"You were going to kill her," Kabuto defended his actions.

"What ever." Rei turned her back on him and Orochimaru who had seemingly missed their quick transaction.

She felt Kabuto following her out, she body straining toward her as though he thought she would lash out again and he would need to catch her.

"Ah, Rei-chan would you wait a moment?" Orochimaru's voice scared her. She almost ran out of the room. It took her a moment to turn back and nod to him.

Kabuto halted uneasily next to her turning back only slightly to look at his master. "You can go on Kabuto, I just want a word with Rei." The snake waved him off.

"What?" She ground out as she watched Kabuto go, leaving her alone with the sanin.

"Would you mind your temper in the future, please?" He request all to kindly for the slime ball he was.

"No," She fumed as she started toward the door again.

She felt the wall hit her back first, before realizing Orochimaru had her pinned there.

"You will obey me, or you will regret it." He hissed in her face.

She bit back a snide comment and nodded fearfully.

He smiled, "I'm glad we understand each other."

* * *

Rei was lying on Kabuto's soft bed when he entered. She appeared to be asleep so he was quiet as he slipped to his desk to read.

"Thank you," She sighed as he sat down at his mahogany desk.

"For what?" He asked as he flipped open to his marked page in the medical text book.

"For getting me out of leading a squad." She mumbled groggily.

He chuckled lightly, "You put on a good show," looking up at her he grinned.

She was laying the wrong way across the bed so that she could face him, with her hands propping up her chin, elbows digging into the mattress

"I wasn't really gonna kill her," She defending when she saw the doubt cloud his eyes after his own comment about her "putting on a show".

"That's not what it looked like, Rei." He breathed, sounding like he was reliving the moment some where in his mind.

He seemed distracted, his eyes glazed, with that "lost in thought" look plastered to his face.

"Am I missing something?" She finally asked when she couldn't take it anymore.

The gray haired medic hesitated. "I think its best that you don't know." He sounded hopeful that she would let it go..

"Yakushi Kabuto, you're keeping secrets from me," she accused.

**End Chapter Five:**

**Yea...so this chapter was difficult, and i didn't really like it, but this is the best i can get it for now, unless, maybe someone would review and give me some tips? . Not you Kim...i don't want your tips (Jk) Love you Kimi!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**I liked this chapter a lot, it came to me so easily after that horrible ch. 5 so enjoy!**

**Chapter Six:**

"I hate you…You're cheating…" Rei whimpered as Kabuto laid kisses on her neck, letting his fingers trace over her body.

"Nhn," He nipped her neck gently with a soft laugh. "So I am." His hands pushed her shirt a slight bit higher to reveal her stomach to his kisses.

"Y-you still h-have to tell m-me..." She stuttered out, opening her half lidded eyes enough to see him smirk at her. He could see she was slowly losing her reserve and soon she wouldn't care anymore, yes, very soon.

He kissed her neck up to her jaw taking her lips in his, this time she responded rather than resisted.

She felt him smile through the kiss. A small flicker of anger gave way to pleasure, she'd yell at him later. Rei let her fingers weave through his soft hair and kissed him deeper.

* * *

When Rei found consciousness again, Kabuto was gone. She punched the pillow and turned over in a huff, angry more with herself than with him.

Sighing heavily she sat up and swung her legs from the bed. Her bare toes hit the cold floor, sending a shiver up her body. She grabbed up her boots not even putting them on, and headed out of the room so fast it was nearly blinding. She ran the hallways back to her room.

* * *

More angry than even she realized, she hit the tai-jutsu post in front of her as hard as she could. Rei felt ready to explode, feeling so many different emotions at once. Anger, hate, love, disgust, sadness, all piling up behind her eyes, she was surprised she hadn't started crying yet.

Stopping a moment she listened to the birds, catching her breath, holding it all back. She thought about how badly she'd suddenly needed to get out of that disgusting place. Not stopping to change, or put her shoes on, she'd burst out into the open air, trying so hard not to cry.

"How'd I even end up here?" She'd asked herself as she fell to her knees and stared at her hands, still holding the tears back, forcing them back. Rei wasn't sure how long she sat there, but when she finally moved she'd raced around the small part of the complex that showed above ground to the small training area in the back.

Now she found herself staring at her hands again, trying so hard to sort through everything. "Am I finally losing it?" She asked quietly wondering to herself it last night had been her breaking point. She even chuckled lightly at the idea, not so much despising it as she should have.

"You little bitch, do you know how hard I've worked to even be at one of those meetings!?" Yae's fierce screech sounded just a second before she flung her fist at Rei's head.

Rei spun, just barely catching the girls balled hand, "Then maybe you ought to watch that dirty mouth of yours." Rei sounded distant even to herself, and she read it in Yae's eyes when she saw it flicker there. Though Yae didn't hold interest long.

Rei swiped her leg behind Yaeko's legs as she dipped into a crouch, Yae back flipped out of the way a moment to soon, making the Ishida girl miss. Spinning again to see Yae bounce from the palms of her hands back to her feet, Rei noticed for the first time that Hotate Yaeko was taller than her.

When Yae's next attack landing square with her chest Rei scolded herself, as she grabbed the arm that had hit her, Rei threw her body around Yae's with a quick move Itachi had taught her. She felt her elbow connect with Yae's back, at the same moment feeling the pain pulse in her chest.

The Hotate girl coughed and fell forward on her knees and hands. "…you little…what…did you do… to me…" She hacked out.

"I don't share my secrets with dogs." Rei walked away tossing her hair over her shoulder.

* * *

Rei noticed an immediate left in her mood after fighting Yae. _Huh, what an odd stress reliever…_Rei thought as she yanked the gray tank-top over her head and let it drop to the floor, followed by her skirt.

The warmth of flowing water washed over her body as she stepped into the shower. She could still taste the iron tang of blood in her mouth. Rei hadn't given Yae such satisfaction as to know that her hit hand caused any damage.

Having the moment, Rei took stock of her feelings and thoughts. Her anger had passed. Hate stilled burned in the back of her mind but not the blazing wild fire it was earlier, now it was under control, aimed at something, rather than everything. "Orochimaru…" She spoke his name as though it were a curse word.

Her hand pressed against the light blue tiles as she let the water run over her front. She was still disgusted with the hideout, and Sasuke, and Yae…well maybe not Yae so much as before. If she thought about it, she was disgusted with herself as well.

Disgusted because she'd fallen in love with someone other than Itachi, again. Disgusted that she'd allowed herself to stay here so long, to let it get this far. Rei stepped fully under the water, letting it soak her hair, willing it to wash away her disgust with herself.

Opening her eyes, she sighed and rubbed a hand over her face, she had to make a decision. Her body relaxed finally, as the heat coursed over it. What was her next move going to be? Her previous plan of wait and decide seemed stupid now.

Rei laughed gently, she hadn't planned on being alive after she last fought Itachi. She'd bet all her money on Itachi killing her. So that didn't leave much room for future planning before. Setting her stage, she'd never thought it would go so different from the rehearsed script.

"Well if I'm still alive, it must mean something. Maybe I can still pull this off." Rei felt suddenly much older than she was, much wiser. Things were starting to make some sense, she was starting to take responsibility. "Yes, this'll work out."

Rei stopped the water, and stood dripping with an air of enlightenment about her.

* * *

Entirely calm, Rei dried her hair, looking in the mirror. She still had a lot on her mind, but it was in order now, not the tangled mass it was just hours ago.

**End Chapter Six:**

**Oh wow, this chapter makes me want to rant about many things...but no one would understand so i won't, but geez i want too! I hope you liked this one!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**This was a good chapter for me, i love lots of the parts so much, Enjoy it!**

**Chapter Seven:**

"Rei!" Kabuto sounded furious outside her door, she wasn't sure she wanted to open it and see how angry he looked as well. She imagined that his face was taut with some fury she couldn't guess.

Only steps away from the door, she watched it as it flew open and Kabuto came toward her obviously trying to calm himself.

At seeing her scared face he fought to calm down, it was unfair to be angry with her with, just because Orochimaru was angry with him. "What were you thinking?" He asked still fighting off the rage.

"I'm lost," She said taking a step back.

"You injured Yae, didn't you?" He tried to confirm what he thought he knew.

Rei looked at him a moment before it clicked, "I may have, but she attacked me first." She was pleased that she sounded as calm as she felt. "I defended myself, I landed a hit that brought her down, and I walked away."

Kabuto, wasn't her Kabuto right now, she could tell by the tone of his voice, and the set of his shoulders. Kabuto was Orochimaru's Kabuto in this moment.

"He's furious you know?" Kabuto's voice softened, but not for her, he sounded afraid, with all right to be. "Yae is hurt, and he was counting on being able to use her powers. What did you do to her?"

She looked deep in his eyes. "I defended myself," She repeated.

"How?" His brow creased. Rei didn't know if he knew that he was taking slow steps toward her.

"I sent a wave of chakra laced with an Ishida jutsu, through her heart." Her tongue moved in self preservation, she really didn't like telling him her little secret.

"I see…" Kabuto shifted, and she wondered what made him do so. She watched his eyes cloud. "…Rei…is something…wrong?" His voice went soft, the tone he used when he whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

She wasn't sure what he meant, she looked at him, her face telling her confusion, but she added words anyway, "Nothing's wrong, Kabuto." She said it so calmly and certainly that it convinced him.

He was suddenly caressing her cheek, leaning in to kiss her. Rei wanted to pull away, but his warm hand on her face kept her still, at least until the tears filled her eyes. Her own small hand went up to hold his in place while she took her lips back.

Reading the shock in his eyes was easy. Seeing her watery eyed smile, he was very confused. She felt those dangerous words on the tip of her tongue again, but swallowed them back..._I love you…_She just hoped he could read it in her eyes like she could read it in his.

* * *

She didn't go to his bed that night, staying in her own felt right, since, this was coming to an end soon. Rei figured her days were numbered, shortly numbered. Then she would be gone from this place and never, ever return to it.

So it didn't surprise her when she woke up facing the couch to see him sitting there book in hand, reading in the glow of the fire.

"Hello Kabuto," She hummed softly, feeling the warmth in her body.

"I thought you might have been sick, or…" He looked up at her. He was still thinking about earlier.

"Nothings wrong, I promise," She sighed shifting out from under the blankets to pad barefoot over to the couch. Sitting down she almost sat on him, she set herself so close and wrapped her arms around his free arm.

"Oh, this is my book…" She noted when she saw the dog-eared corner of one of her favorite pages.

"It is," He smiled.

"Did you get to _that_ part yet?" She asked softly. "Where Natsuki tells Kyouya she loves him?"

He looked at her and his smile deepened, "I have, and I can see why you like this book so much. Natsu, is you, or at least very much like you."

Rei curled up closer to him and nodded into his shoulder as she rested her head there. Neither said it, but the difference was that Rei was never going to say that she loved him, ever. And they both knew it, Kabuto was not her Kyouya.

* * *

She woke up back in her bed, alone. And she truly was alone, she felt like she'd lost something great. Had Kabuto made such an impact on her life? Had a few months of closeness with the medic toppled her love for Itachi? Making it less then it once was? Rei felt sick.

Curling in on herself she shook. Tears welled in her eyes. _I don't love him like I love Itachi…_She told herself_ but…I _do_ love him._

Rei, still feeling chilled, got up to change into something warm, knowing it would do little to help. There was only one thing that would help.

The heels of her boots hit the stone floor at a hard fast pace and when she opened his door, she stood breathless in the doorway. Her crimson eyes wide, her breath catching in her throat as she choked out, "Kabuto..."

As he was turning to her from his desk, Rei threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, tears coming to the edges of her eyes again. Kabuto caught her around the waist and held her up, she being shorter than him.

When they both needed air, and only then, did they pull away from each other and he set her feet on solid ground again, though she couldn't tell such differences at the moment.

"I'm sorry." She burst out before she could even catch her breath. She stared deep into his eyes.

"Rei…" For a moment, Kabuto couldn't help but be lost in her wide, needing gaze. How he'd longed for her to look at him like that, and now, he almost regretted it.

There was so much more she wanted to tell him in that moment, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. And some where she felt, she didn't need to because he had to already know it. "…and thank you…" she added.

His hand brush across her cheek as he took her lips in another, shorter lived kiss. That was his, "Your welcome."

Wrapping her arms around him, she didn't feel quite so alone any more, but she felt guilty, this wouldn't last. It couldn't.

* * *

Admittedly, it was slightly awkward, after they're second kiss…though the air around them seemed to be full of calm, and peace, rather than the heated tension that normally swirled about them.

Rei wasn't sure when her heart began to slow, or when the need slowly gave way to exhaustion, but she couldn't look away from him. And as it would seem he could neither do the same nor let her go.

_I'm going to lose you…aren't I?_ He fought against asking her, he didn't want the answer.

_I'm already losing you…_She thought a little bit of that sick feeling swishing in her stomach and she closed her eyes, memorizing everything she could about him.

**Chapter Seven End:**

**Thanks for reading! Review! I demand it of you!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow...guess what, its almost to the end! anyway heres ch. 8 i worked hard on this one, and had to re-do the beginning once...hope you like it! Reviews Please!?**

**Chapter Eight:**

Rei felt fidgety as she stood beside Kabuto as he and Orochimaru explained they're plans. She was anxious, but unsure as to why. Something was…coming, she could feel it.

Struggling to pay attention to the decisions being made before her, Rei mentally kicked herself. Reentering the discussion, she followed Orochimaru's finger on the map, tracing B squad's rout. "And you'll stop here," He finished with a wicked grin on his lips.

Her stomach knotted painfully. Focus was impossible to find or keep, she wasn't sure she was even there for half the conversation between the teams, their captains, and their leader.

"Sasuke, lead your team into the heart of it, since yours will be the most battle ready of us. Kasai-sama," Kabuto addressed the woman with respect, "Lead your team around the west border, no one passes neither in nor out."

"Hn," Typical Uchiha answer, Rei, even in a thoughtful, thoughtless, trance recognized it.

"Understood," The flame haired woman nodded, with a small hint of youthfulness in her eyes.

"I'll lead the North border team straight through to the line." He glanced at Rei, knowing she heard none of what he said, not knowing why.

"Hoshu," the medic and second in command went on. "Lead your team to the South line. Same rules apply, no one leaves or enters."

Kabuto could obviously sense her distraction, she noted it in his eyes one of the moments that she was there not only in body. He moved slightly closer to her, not obviously so, but enough to ease her tense form.

"The war is on our doorstep, and in our hands." Orochimaru's giddy hiss broke through her most recent thoughts.

_What have I done? _She reprimanded herself.

Her footfalls were unsure on the even stones of the floor as she followed Kabuto out of the room. The only reason she remained up right was surely because Kabuto was at her side.

The others all broke off down they're separate hallways, leading to "home". While she just followed the gray-haired man beside her, to his room.

Suddenly the feeling from earlier grew, and grew, until she could hear footsteps racing toward them echoing in the halls. Then she heard the screams. Rei clutched Kabuto's shirt sleeve, cowering like a child, half behind him.

A man's shout rang through the brick walls, "They've found us!"

"Akatsuki! They're attacking!" Another voice shrieked.

An explosion farther down in the abbey blew a dust cloud through the halls, smoke and dirt mixed in the air around them.

A frantic sound nin stood, shaking and panting, "They're coming! All of them! They're here!" He shouted.

"God damn it…" Kabuto cursed brightly under his breath as he shook off her hold, running into the smoky haze. She scrambled after him.

Kunai clanging against stone, metal catching on metal, shriek covering scream, Rei was lost in the chaos…and Kabuto was somewhere at the heart of it she was sure. But where was the heart? Where Itachi was? Was Pein there? Most likely, and all six of him too, and Konan, plus. They were all here?

Rei's breath caught, what now? _Find Itachi!_ Something screamed his name deep inside her soul, she couldn't deny it. Her feet carried her through the wreckage. Sound nin bodies lay all over, and countless bodies she didn't recognize, but could easily guess what happened to them.

A man about a foot taller than her charged out of the shadows at her. Rei ducked, swiped his legs from under him and broke off in a run, hair flowing around her face, breath hitching.

She shouldn't have been so shocked to see an entire section of the grounds caved in on itself, bright sunlight shining deep into the still standing halls. Deidara's work, surely so. This was resent, just moments ago, she could still see bits of the chakra laced clay scattered on the rubble.

Kunai bit at kunai as she defended against her attacker, spinning to see Sasori, standing behind her out of his usually puppet, was a shock.

"Ah, Rei-chan, we were certain you were dead." His head titled up slightly, revealing part of his fake body at the neck.

"I was certain I would be." She answered cautiously. Was she enemy to them? Or ally?

"We were hoping you would be," He grinned, and attacked in one motion.

"Impatient, Sasori-sama?" Rei chided.

"You know how I get when things take to long," He responded, from behind a barrage of poisoned needles.

Chakra coursed swiftly to the souls of her feet, and she propelled her self forward with the speed Itachi had carved into her body from his harsh training sessions.

She couldn't over power Sasori, hell no, that was impossible. She just hoped to impress him momentarily.

Rei pinned him to the wall closest to them as fast as her fine body would move and jabbed the tip of her well sharpened kunai near the only working organ left in the ex-sand shinobi, his heart.

"Now, Saso-sama," Her wicked grin flashed in her eyes as well as she looked up into his, "Tell me, where is Itachi?"

A crooked smile revealed his interest, _not what I was going for but, it'll do. _

"What is it you want with him, Rei? You're death by his hands is sweeter than by mine is it?"

"Something like that," She could hear the snap and lock of his puppets behind them, feel the chakra pulsing from his finger tips out to them.

"He's gone for his younger brother, I believe." Sasori's child like face filled with cruel satisfaction at her last reflective look into his eyes before she disappeared. Gone…like the wind, Rei may as well have never been in the imploded arena.

Her feet couldn't possibly carry her any faster, she didn't even run properly for a shinobi, her arms swinging wildly, back and forth.

She reached out her senses for Itachi, or maybe Kisame, but all the Akatsuki had their chakras masked, given their _luck _in surprising their targets. Rei opted for the next best thing. Sasuke's chakra would be easy enough to find, especially considering he'd be going all out on his elder brother.

She almost missed the turn she needed as she found the signature at the moment she passed it, back tracking to turn down the darkened hall.

As she ran, locked on to Sasuke, she passed another familiar chakra, one that had been inside her, many times, one she loved, Kabuto's. Her heart tore to have to decide to leave him behind with out even checking to see if he needed help. He didn't, _He doesn't…he can't…not with his powers…_Repeating her little chance she stumbled into another large craved out piece of land, much wider than the first.

A fire blazed, eating away a fallen tree the size of one of the great pillars that stood isolated in the middle of all the mayhem. A top one of them, Sasuke stood, looking about himself cautiously, "What is—"

"Rei, you're alive?" Itachi asked an already answered question as he stroked her shoulder gently from behind her.

"Itachi…" Her breath left her. _Was there anything there? Anything in his voice to hint…that he…he's relieved that I'm…alive? _

She caught the glint from Sasuke's katana as he turned and found what he'd been looking for…standing next to what he hadn't expected.

The kunai was in her hand before the thought was in her mind, and her body was moving before the command.

Itachi guarded flawlessly, no step uncertain, no move unsure of the next. Sasuke would not ruin this opportunity as well. Though he hadn't even drawn a weapon, he managed to block all her attacks and disarm her.

Reduced to her fists, she kept on. Itachi grasped her hair suddenly, bringing her to her knees with one bitter yank of it. "Stop your flailing." He ordered.

His voice hinted the tone of anger, though the tone itself did not fully exist.

"Uh…ahhh…let…go…" She whined as he tugged less harshly then before, but hard enough to cause pain. Stinging tears welled in her eyes.

She felt Sasuke shift from his perch, and knew she had to continue their fight, _make it look convincing._ She told herself as she pulled away, feeling several strands of raven tug loose from her scalp.

Her legs hit the back of his knee but did nothing as he jumped away turning back on her as the ground came up to meet him. This time he charged, and in a voice so low _she_ barely heard it inquired, "What are you up to?"

Rei tried to open her mouth to explain but, instead she found herself dodging incessant blows from the Akatsuki member. The terrifying thought that he might kill her with out giving any chance to explain skipped across her mind. She fought back, she had to live at least long enough to talk to him.

She floundered for another kunai. But found her actions, rudely disrupted as a spout of fire shot out at her. The flames licked at her body as she rolled out of the way. Managing to get back to her feet and in front of him before he could use another jutsu she pressed the kunai at him, grazing his upper arm, as he took her by the wrist roughly tossing her around so that her back was to him and he held both her arms in one hand.

"Pitiful, you were worth more than this." He scolded her as she nipped her bottom lip, holding back a biting protest. What was she going to do if he wouldn't listen? Sasuke shifted once more, closer to them than before, Itachi noticed it, did a quick hand seal behind her back, and sent four kage-bushin charging him. "How foolish,"

Rei strained in his hold. "Itachi…please listen to me—"

Suddenly she went sprawling forward, scraping her hands and knees, she managed to be on her feet before his next attack.

She blocked his kick with her knee, but felt an impact on the side of her face that sent her backwards. Crookedly she propelled herself up in a back flip, she cursed out loud as he gripped her ankle and tossed her sideways into the now, cliff side.

He knelt before her, pushed a thick stray strand from her face as she looked up, winded, at him, kneeling before her.

Her eyes darted behind him in horror watching Sasuke come in from above to attack Itachi. She didn't even see Itachi move, just Sasuke sailing backwards through the air, all the way to the opposite wall, crashing off it into a pile of rumble.

Itachi reached inside his Akatsuki robe and dangling from his fingers was her sharingan pendant. A small folded paper between his fingers just above the end of lace in his hand.

"…I love you…" She said softly when she found air in her lungs again.

* * *

"Hn, love?" His eyes narrowed, and instantly she was caught in his world.

The sky bled red tainting everything with it's a thick layer until all that was, were her and Itachi, black against red. Her body disobeyed her, paralyzed in the same position she knew she was in on the outside of this forlorn hollow.

"Did you love me when you betrayed me?" He was still knelt beside her, his words honestly curious, but nothing more. "Or when you lead them right to us?" Her stroked her cheek, "Perhaps when you told them of our complex and they ran us out, did you love me then Rei?"

She tried to speak, tried to defend her self, or at least explain, but her throat was just as paralyzed as the rest of her, she could only stare horrified up at him as he reminded her of every awful thing she'd done in the pass year or so.

He fisted her hair, lifting her head up slightly. "Betrayal isn't something I tolerate, Rei." She felt the pressure around her throat ease, then release completely.

When she finally was able to speak her words were small, laced with sour pain. "…I'm not perfect Itachi…Even I make…mistakes…"

His face was blank, curiosity gone, "As it would seem," Hard, emotionless, and cold as the blade of her knife she felt his voice alone stab her.

As the bushin appeared slowly around her, and she found herself lying flat, but upright she cried out his name. He turned, waiting for her to speak, and she thanked whatever god was in her favor.

"Please…kill…kill Orochimaru…stop the war…" She begged.

"His death will not end this war. If you believe it will, you're ignorant and foolish." He turned his back on her again.

"Its hard…" She choked out as the first cool blade slid into her side, "…being perfect for you…" Tears rippled the red sea beneath her.

His hand cupped her chin, holding her eyes to his. "Is that what you think I wanted?"

"You only want what's useful…" She confirmed her belief.

"You were useless…" He leaned in to whisper in her ear, " and I wanted you." She shuddered, shivers coursing her body. Her breathing stopped, her heart skipped and she almost died, all in one moment.

When everything started again she looked into his dark eyes, "Itachi…Itachi…Itachi…" She repeated his name, not knowing what else to say.

"Don't hear what hasn't been said, things of the past are not in the future."

The world shifted sickeningly once more, dragging her cruelly back to reality. The cold ground was still pressed tight to her, or rather, her to it.

But Itachi was far from her, clashing with a group of Sound shinobi.

"Rei!" Someone whispered desperately above her. She shifted her eyes to see Kabuto's brow knitted with worry. He must have snuck over to her limp form.

"I'm fine…" She mumbled but didn't move.

Kabuto gently took her in his arms and began to check her over, Rei noted the cut on his cheek, and the bit of blood dripping from his lip. "Oh, Kabuto…" She whimpered.

**End Chapter Eight:**

**Yay, its a longer chapter than most of the others...or at least it feels like it, well only three more after this, so enjoy 'em while they last! REMEMBER TO REVIEW!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ok heres chapter nine for you all that are reading this. **

**Chapter Nine:**

Her shaking hand reached up to gently stroke his cheek where it bled. He didn't flinch away from her, just looked deep in her eyes. "How does this end?" She murmured.

"Its not like one of your books Rei, there won't be a happy ending." He sounded far away, maybe he was.

"Kabuto…" _Say it damn it! Just tell him! I love you…so much_ Rei couldn't do it, couldn't bring herself to say it, to tell him.

He kissed her quickly, he couldn't say it either. She felt stiff in his arms, she wanted to just melt into him, but that was wishful thinking she couldn't allow. "What's it worth…Kabuto?" She asked when he pulled away.

"Everything," He replied surely as he stood, and helped her up.

"Everything…" Rei breathed.

She closed her eyes, and wondered what he meant, but only for a moment. A tug on her shoulder told her he was pulling them up.

Once on her feet she felt surprisingly balanced and aware. No dizziness or anything, which was odd for her, after being in Tsukuyomi for so long. _Itachi…_ her eyes darted to the multiple clashes in the center of the wreckage, looking for him.

Kabuto flexed his elbow, then his shoulder. Rei didn't realize that it was injured until that moment, blood was dripping from under his shirt down to his hand. It stopped after he ran two fingers over the top of his shoulder. _He saved all his chakra? For me? No… couldn't have, he'd be so much worse off if that were true. _

Rei stood next to him, scanning the ground, the rim of the fallen in hideout, the solitary pillars that still stood. She couldn't find Sasuke, or Itachi. "Where are they?" She whispered to herself.

"There…" Kabuto pointed after a moment, answering her question.

Two fast moving figures were darting at each other, away, and back at each other at a distance from the center fight. Even her eyes couldn't catch every move. _Itachi…_Her heart ached. She couldn't help him, not that he'd allow her too. And Sasuke would take the opportunity to kill her if she intervened.

She felt Kabuto grab her wrist, as if knowing her very thoughts. Knowing what she was thinking about doing.

"I'm not going to go to him now," She looked at him, promise in her eyes.

Reluctantly he nodded, let go and turned back to watch the Uchiha's battle. She didn't turn away from his face as easily. He was so handsome! She'd never dreamed she'd think of Yakushi Kabuto in such away, but here she was, melting in her heart for him.

"Rei?" He could see her writhing in her skin, itching to move toward him.

"I need to be closer." She decided not knowing Kabuto was realizing the same thing, only a moment sooner. There was no way she could do anything from where she was, even if she didn't plan to, she needed to be able to. Kabuto followed her up the caved in wall and around the rim to a better viewing place.

Rei saw now, that Itachi was bleeding from his upper left arm and lower down on it. It looked as though he'd blocked Sasuke's katana with his arm. Aside from minor scratches she couldn't _see_ any other wounds on his perfect body.

Sasuke looked worse off, and she couldn't help but rejoice a little on the inside. Itachi had the upper hand. Blood trailed from Sasuke's bottom lip down his chin._ Internal wound,_ Rei noted. His wrist looked swollen, and his palm was bleeding. He held his sword in the wrong hand.

"Look's like Sasuke's gonna lose this one," Kisame's loud, gravely chuckled didn't startle her.

_God willing…_She let her eyes wander back to the Akatsuki—leaning on a fairly large piece of rock behind them—as Kabuto inched closer to her. "Kisame-sama," she signed, realigning her eyes with the brothers.

Rei couldn't concentrate on the fight with Kabuto's anxious stance beside her. "He won't attack us," She whispered to him.

"I'm still his enemy even if your not," Kabuto couldn't have realized how much his words stung.

* * *

She looked away before he could see it in her eyes, _Rip my heart out a little faster…_She remarked painfully to herself.

Unsure of what she missed Rei's heart skipped as she saw Itachi on the ground, Sasuke leaning over him, ready to press his kusanagi into his brother's throat.

Kisame shifted beside her as she readied herself to jump over the edge, to Itachi. His strong arms grabbed her before Kabuto's could; they'd both been reaching, the shark man only moments ahead of the medic.

"Calm down, Kid."

Before she could spit a harsh comment back at him, she saw the smoke as the kage bushin disappeared under Sasuke's sword.

She released her breath, "See," Kisame grunted.

Kabuto looked at her, and she could see that he wanted her away from the Akatsuki member. Rei freed herself from his arms and moved to wrap hers around Kabuto's right arm. After her time with him, she'd found that this little gesture calmed the medic down easily, especially when it was her that was causing him unease.

"Oh, they seem to have moved away from here." Kisame said pointedly.

Rei scanned every inch of land she could see, only to find he was right. Sasuke and Itachi weren't there anymore. "We have to find them!" Rei was frantic underneath the whisper that left her.

Above the trees on just to the right of where the three stood smoke was rising, "Shouldn't be too hard," Kisame laughed at his joke.

Rei broke into a run toward the rising gray line. The trees in this area were thick but only for about ten or so feet before the spread out leaving a huge open field. Or at least at one time you would have seen that. Now as Rei made her way into the open, she saw another gouged out chunk of land.

"I didn't…realize that it… stretched this far." Rei spoke in awe.

"You were never that deep into the building." Kabuto's matter-of-fact tone sounded from her side. He'd kept pace with her, but Kisame had stayed behind.

"I see." Rei skirted the top of the canyon like pit. "…isn't that?" Rei squinted to look into the hole.

"Orochimaru-sama…" Kabuto confirmed.

The snake and his underling Uchiha were both squaring off with Itachi at the bottom of the pit. Rei looked to Kabuto. "Was it a trap?" She demanded.

"I don't see how," He looked at her—cold and hard, not her Kabuto, but his—and added, "They're attack was unanticipated."

Rei felt slightly embarrassed. "Right…Oh!" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Itachi go down. He took a hit from Orochimaru, and Sasuke was coming toward him, chidori blazing in his palm.

No thought, no reasoning, no judgment, just action. Rei flung herself in front of Sasuke's charge, gripping his wrist—avoiding the chidori—she pinned him to the ground five feet from his target.

"Rei," he spat her name, "Move!"

"Like hell!" She spat back. His struggle against her was short lived. He had size against her, but as he kicked her off, Rei strung together the hand seals for the Dragon Flame Jutsu.

When Sasuke was thoroughly distracted with the fire technique the Ishida created three kage bushin to distract him even further, once the smoke cleared.

The kunai tip pressed to the side of her throat stopped her next set of seals. "Damn," She hissed audibly.

"Why shouldn't I kill you?" Sasuke wanted the satisfaction of hearing her beg, well that wasn't gonna happen this time.

Two seconds, maybe less if the younger Uchiha didn't wait for an answer that wouldn't come. Then it would be over. _One, tw—_

There was a small crash in the same instant as the blade's tip pulled away from her skin. Kabuto was standing over Sasuke to her right. Chakra was glowing around his right hand.

"Don't lay a finger on her," He seethed. Sasuke struggled to sit up, coughing.

Her fingers swept at the drop of blood that seeped from the pin-prick on her neck. She took a step toward Kabuto as the younger Uchiha stumbled to his feet. "Rei, go help Itachi," She looked hesitantly from him, to Itachi who was evading the Sanin's shadow snakes attack. "Go!" Kabuto used his authoritative tone, the one he used to order her to do something.

Sasuke's eyes were lit with fury as he rushed Kabuto.

Rei knew that Kabuto would be able to handle Sasuke, she hoped. Itachi killed one of Orochimaru's summoned snakes at his feet, his sharingan eyes cold as he looked for the real snake, the Sanin himself.

As another larger snake struck out at Itachi from behind Rei put herself between it and the elder Uchiha. Slashing the head of with one quick cut of her blade, Rei was glad she could help Itachi. So it hurt her deeply when she was on the receiving end of his strike.

As she turned around, he lashed out at her, sending her sprawling back as she met his blood-red eyes.

"Stay out of this," His voice was cold, as Rei rolled to the ground she felt a painful tug threatening to rip out her heart.

Rei wouldn't just stand back as Orochimaru slowly gained the upper hand. Itachi purposefully moved the battle away from her, though it allowed Orochimaru to add another wound to Itachi's already bleeding arm. Rei was on her feet following them when she felt someone take her roughly by the shoulder.

It didn't take even a second to figure out it was Sasuke, the blade of his Kusanagi pressed to her throat as he pinned her to his chest. She was suddenly facing Kabuto, seeing utter fear and agony in his eyes. _Damn it…just kill him! _She screamed deep inside, though she could see her own fear reflected in her lover's eyes.

"Sasuke…Sasuke, let her go." Kabuto's soft gentlemanly tone was obviously laced with tension.

Rei hadn't realized that her thin fingers were desperately gripping his arm, trying uselessly to pull it and the sword away. She had to press her head back into his chest to keep the fine edge from pushing into her neck. "Please…Sasuke…" Her voice was just a whimper.

"Shut up." He wrenched her shoulder as he stepped away from Kabuto, slowly inching back wards. Whispering so only she could hear he said, "Later has become now, it suits me just perfectly if you were to die here." He said darkly as he put more pressure to his blade.

Rei screamed, but she wasn't sure when. Sasuke was pulled away from her, or…she was pulled away from him. Either way, she ended up in Kabuto's arms at the moment that Itachi yanked his younger brother away from her. Rei's eyes went wide as Sasuke's went blank.

Itachi had him dangling in the air, they're eyes were locked, but seeing the sharingan fade from the younger brother's eyes, giving way to blank blackness sent chills threw her. Kabuto was pressing chakra into the side of her neck and she couldn't understand why until she tried to turn it and felt the pain of the slight gash there.

Itachi dropped Sasuke to the ground, but neither moved, they only stared at each other, and Rei saw the sharingan flood back into Sasuke's eyes. "What…?" She started.

"Genjutsu…simultaneous genjutsu…" Kabuto mumbled in astonishment, apparently Rei wasn't the only one who'd never seen such a thing.

Her eyes focused on Itachi's face, as she spoke to the medic holding her, "What…happened?" She was frantically trying to piece each moment together…only finding nothing fit. It was like she'd completely missed something.

"You didn't see any of it?" He looked at her for a moment, then let the look fade, realizing she was serious. "Itachi…was about to, well I think he was going to kill Sasuke but then…it looked like he heard whatever Sasuke said to you, then…" His eyes drifted to Sasuke then back to her, "He was going to kill you…" he said softly, like saying it would change how things had happened. "We both just acted…"

Rei nodded, still gazing at Itachi. She saw his face tighten slightly, as though cringing at something.

"Orochimaru-sama…" Kabuto's rushed breath startled her out of her concentration. Neither had remembered that the elder Uchiha had been matching blades with Orochimaru until just seconds ago, until just now. She followed his line of sight to the Sanin, bent in on him self on the ground. Kabuto set Rei down and moved to aid his master, getting up mumbling, "I have to help him,"

Rei caught his wrist, "You've already attacked his prodigy, and you chose your side!" She informed him. _You chose me, finally. _

**End Chapter Nine:**

**Hope you liked it, Reviews, please?  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

He hesitated, glanced back at her—on her knees, eyes watering—and to Orochimaru, the choice should have been so easy. But not moving to the Sanin's aid was almost as painful as leaving Rei's side would be. Though somewhere in his heart he knew he could never leave her side.

"So I have," Kabuto didn't give another glance back to the disgusting shinobi retching on the ground.

Rei closed her eyes for a moment, listening. The screams and shouts had stopped, and few blades rang out against each other in the distance. One or two battles were still going strong other than the one before them. "It's slowing down…" She concluded.

"You've improved," Itachi's indifferent voice found her.

All attentions were focused in on him and Sasuke again. The younger was panting, gritting his teeth and scowling at his brother. His eyes wandered only for a second to her and then back to Itachi. The elder Uchiha read more in this split-second action than she possibly could have.

"Rei, leave." He ordered with a backwards glance to her. Something flickered in Sasuke's eyes but again she missed the meaning.

Standing her ground she clenched her fists. "I will not." And she wouldn't.

"Hn," He could have been smirking, but that was unlikely.

Rei was so close to Kabuto that she felt him drawing the chakra to his palms. As Sasuke ran at his brother then veered sharply in her direction, she understood. _Do I look like a worm? God Damn it I'm not bait! _Kabuto was in front of her ready to fight off Sasuke again, but that was unnecessary as the kunai she brought to her hand was, Itachi had a hold on Sasuke from two sides with Kage Bushin no Jutsu.

His real body stepped forward, looking at Kabuto, and past her, like she wasn't there. "Take her away from here." When he didn't act immediately Itachi looked from him to Sasuke then back, "You do love her don't you? Or would her death not affect you?"

Kabuto didn't answer, she didn't think he could, but still she looked desperately at him, hoping. He took her hand, though she protested and in the second that Sasuke was able to strike out at them they were already gone.

She gritted her teeth from atop the ridge. Both shinobi turned as they heard stumbling footsteps coming toward them from the trees.

"Kabuto-sama…" A sound ninja coughed out as he made his way up to the medic. "It…it was her…" He pointed to Rei as he fell forward, Kabuto catching the man before he could fall. "She led them …here…" His hand dropped and her eyes went wide as she stumbled back shaking her head.

"No…" Her voice caught on the wind. Kabuto's eyes turned on her, and she felt herself wanting to run.

"Is it true?" He asked. There was a scratch on the left lens of his glasses, "Rei? Answer me!"

"I…" She started shaking, thinking back to that day when she was sent out on that mission with Sasuke. "I…didn't…"

"Of course you did, Rei," Akatsuki cloaks swirled around them. Sasori's teasing tone made her heart stop as he danced behind her. Wooden puppet fingers dangled a sharingan pendant tied to a black velvet ribbon, tattered from being worn, "Or do you deny it?"

Her crimson eyes drifted back to see his face, still shaking. Her eyes swiped back over the small circle of S-ranked criminals, Sasori, Deidara, Kukazu, Hidan and oddly enough Zetsu. Kisame was close by as well, even if she couldn't see him she could sense him.

Kabuto wore a disgusted expression on his face as he scanned over them all, including her. _I'm sorry…_She wanted to tell him.

"Oh, don't worry Rei, we're not here for you," He grabbed her shoulder as a few of the others chuckled at her fearful face. "Not just yet," and with that Sasori sent her flying over the edge of the rift. "No! Kabuto!" She called out as she gripped at the air, reaching for something, anything to stop her speedy descent.

"Rei!" She saw his horrified face for a fraction of a heartbeat before the Akatsuki moved in on him.

_Damn it! _There was no bracing herself for the impact with the solid earth. Her back hit the ground with a loud crack that anyone would have thought signaled her spine snapping or bones breaking. The air was sucked from her as she was winded and she struggled painfully to breath.

She wasn't sure what the back of her head bounced off of but the stinging pain made everything blurry to her eyes, she saw the sky, the white clouds, then blackness started to grab her. _Am I dying?_

"_Rei, are you ok with this?" His voice was softer than she'd ever heard it, and it sent an odd comfort through her._

"_Yes," She sighed again, she wished he'd stop asking that, what did it matter, why did he care? It was only making it more painful, not changing her mind._

_His dark eyes met hers and she saw something like regret dance through the irises. He pushed open the door then, letting her step into her new room. Suddenly all her choices weighed heavily on her shoulders, and the bed in the corner looked like the best hiding place in the world. _

_She sat, biting her lower lip gently. She couldn't cry, she'd known what each choice she made would mean and she was ready for it but…suddenly the feeling of being utterly alone was too much. No matter how much will power she had, the slow tears wouldn't end._

_Suddenly she was in a warm embrace, as Kabuto kneeled in front of her, pulling her from her seat into his arms. Her knees met the floor and one of his hands set its self on the small of her back and the other on the back of her head, gently petting her hair. _

_The flow of tears stopped briefly as she registered being held in someone like Yakushi Kabuto's arms, realizing, it was nice._

"_Oh…Kabuto…" She whimpered, still holding back._

_I don't want this to be the end! _

Her eyes fluttered open, only to wince shut with pain as she found herself rolling to her side. Straining as she tried to get on her knees. She coughed, and watched blood speckle the ground under her, raven strands fell like black rain, curtaining her face from the world.

_Stand up, stand up…damn it stand up! _She breathed, tasting the tang of blood on her lips, the irony, bittersweet taste.

The rocky rumble bit at her palms and bare knees, the pain in her head over powering the pain of the rocks sticking in her skin. The pounding beat in her ears, her eyes focused, then unfocused. "Get up! Damn it!" She rasped at herself.

"Yes, get up." The snake like voice of Orochimaru nearly paralyzed her. She heard his chuckle break as he began coughing.

Looking up through the veil of hair she grimaced at the laceration that ran from the corner of his eye down to his chin.

His eyes burned with blood lust, pure blood lust. He lashed out at her, taking a handful of her tresses in his fingers, pulling her up, "I said stand!" He hissed.

"Owww…!" She cried as she was drug to her feet. She couldn't stand on her own, her legs felt like they were too weak to support her. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist.

"I should have known you were just a little spy!" He shook her as he spoke.

One of Sasori's puppets fell, crippled from battle, nearly on the Sanin. In the surprise he loosened his grip enough for her to pull away. An angry curse chased her—breathless—toward the wall.

The Akatsuki that were gathered at the top had dispersed and now, in the fray it was hard to tell who was who. All there was, were flowing black cloaks, with faceless shinobi tucked in the folds. Zetsu, who would have been easily spotted, was gone.

As she looked back, she realized that a new wave of Sound nin had filled the space. About ten or fifteen, several taking on one Akatsuki and still managing to get the short end of the stick. It was a bloody mess, kunai flying, jutsu countering jutsu.

She heard the hiss of a fuse, and then another and another as Deidara dropped clay bombs down on them. Some, like the one near her, went off before they hit the ground.

The explosion sent her and another nin that was near her threw they air, she heard the other explosions as she skidded into one of the standing columns. She blinked smoke from her eyes, noticing that all the Akatsuki had left the clearing.

"REI!" Two voices shouted in union. She looked up to late, seeing the shadow of the toppling pillar, heading for her.

It happened so fast, a set of hands pushed her, and she caught a glimpse of Kabuto, battered and bloody on his knees unmoving, she felt another set of hands grab hold of her mid section and suddenly she was staring down at the stones falling and Kabuto looking up at her, safe near Itachi, with a smile, he mouthed something to her that she couldn't read through the tears, but she had a guess as to what he said.

Itachi caught Rei in his arms as she tried to hurl herself to the sound shinobi. "Let go!" She cried, but it was too late, and she knew it.

"KABUTO!" Rei's scream was painful to hear, all the emotion that she let out in just his name, was something better left to loving sweet-nothing whispers in the night, not the chilling cry they all heard. Her heart was somewhere in the bottom of her stomach and in her throat at once. Her body was in pain, aching to go to him, knowing it would do nothing to do so. "Let me go! I have to go to him!" She begged.

"Even a medic with his abilities…won't walk away from that." Kisame should have shut up, he shouldn't have even opened his mouth. Tears caressed her cheeks as she took in the reality that was set before her. _It…couldn't be true…_

"KABUTO!" Rei shrieked into the silence that followed as she struggled in Itachi's arms. The fighting had stopped everywhere after her first scream, her second almost tore the hearts out of anyone who heard. She felt his hold tighten around her, she slumped hopelessly in Itachi's hold. "I love you!" She cried out not caring who heard, it was true it had always been true. Ishida Rei fell for Yakushi Kabuto long ago, after that first night.

When she first decided to come with him to Orochimaru, if you had told her she would fall in love with him, she would have turned back around without a second thought. Now, she regretted nothing. All those long nights were beautifully engraved in her memories.

"Hush Rei," Itachi's voice was...uncertain, and unhelpful.

"No...no..." Her finger nails dug at his skin, she tried again to escape his arms, "Damn it…Let me go! Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She cried.

"Rei! Stop it."

"You can't order me around anymore Uchiha Itachi!" Her eyes burned with sudden anger that didn't match her tear streaked cheeks. That anger dissipated when she met his eyes, obvious worry showing where it shouldn't. He showed no emotion publicly even for her, but now...concern danced in his crimson irises.

"He's gone..." She whispered the words painfully. Her eyes clouded with tears as she looked out over the rising dust. "Kabuto...don't...leave me," She begged.

Slowly the other Akatsuki gathered on the cliff side. Sasori and Deidara joined the Uchiha-Hoshigaki team, Hidan appeared a few seconds later. The silence between them was painful, for under it all, her last silent pleas faded to soft sobbing, the only thing holding her up being Itachi.

When her sobs stopped and there was nothing left Rei felt so very numb. She saw the last of the Sound nin fleeing, Orochimaru being helped along by Sasuke, but she didn't register it.

Itachi let her go after a moment, after he was certain she wouldn't do anything foolish. "Rei, I'll take you back with me, if you wish." Itachi spoke softly to her, silencing any protests the others might have made with one sharp glance.

She looked blankly back at him, no coherent thought forming to give him and suddenly it all went black, she fainted.

Catching her in her fall Itachi realized how stressed her mind must have been, not even counting the physical strain on her body. What had she been through? Two years...what happened in those two very long years? "Rei..."

**End Chapter Ten:**

**End Part One:**

**Read and Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Alright! This is a great chapter, i believe. I hope anyone who reads it enjoys it and leaves a comment!_**

**_Thank you!

* * *

  
_**

**Part Two: The Letter**

**Chapter Eleven:**

Rei woke with a start, the faint lingering of a nightmare stirred in her thoughts. She turned over, into the moonlight that seeped in through the window…_wait, moonlight? There's no window…in my room,_ she opened her eyes.

Where was she? Where was Kabuto? The soft orange-yellow glow of candle light washed out the moon's soft color as a door opened.

Strong hands pushed her back down, easing her tensed shoulders. She stared into coal-black eyes, never breaking away from them, as they stayed locked with hers. She _was _in her room, her room back at Itachi's complex.

Which meant, one, it all really happened, and two, "He's gone…?" Her breath hitched, and she closed her eyes.

"Yes," Itachi whispered to her.

"Why?" She pleaded; eyes still shut tight, holding back a waterfall of fresh tears. His hand brushed her forehead gently pushing back her bangs.

He avoided her question, "Rei, I won't make you stay here; you can leave it you wish to." He told her instead.

"Then you should have just left me," she retorted sharply.

"I wouldn't have been able to do that," He sighed, and the bed shifted as his weight left its side. "If you do decide to leave, your things are on the table." He continued.

_My...things?_ She let her eyes drift to the table; Itachi was holding her necklace, looking at it rather than her as he spoke.

"You should read the letter," He said softly.

Her crimson eyes went to the table where, a tattered, dog-eared book sat with a folded paper in the front cover.

"Did yo—no..." She felt her face blush red with embarrassment. Itachi wouldn't do such a thing and to accuse him of doing such was ridiculous.

He made no comment or mention of her slip up, and for that she was grateful.

Rei turned away from the bedside table, facing the wall, willing the contents of the table out of existence. "No!"

"Rei, he—" Itachi started, but stopped which was unlike him. _He loved you, _It was right on his lips, he almost said it, only a man of Itachi's self control would have been able to hold the words back.

She couldn't manage to keep the water from her eyes; the tears that fell were to powerful. Rei sobbed into her pillow wishing Itachi couldn't see her like this.

The Uchiha sat at the head of her bed, and gently lifted her shoulders to place her head in his lap; she moved to huddle near him, crying into his knee as he stroked her hair. "It hurts so much…" She whimpered, grasping her chest wishing she could clasp her hands around her own heart and make the pain stop.

When Rei finally cried herself to sleep, Itachi placed her back gently, pulling the blanket over her and stealing a kiss from her lips. He wasn't sure he'd ever be allowed to kiss her again, and he had to have one last goodbye kiss, if that were to be the case.

He was thankful that she looked comfortable in her sleep, and it put him at enough ease to let himself leave her. Knowing her the way he did, this small comfortable sleep wouldn't last long, she'd cry out sooner or later. She was the type of girl who had nightmares.

He walked out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him, and went to the kitchen. Itachi wouldn't be able to sleep, he was worried about her, and besides that a pulsing headache would be hard to ignore. He used his Sharingan to much during that mission. Cleaning out his other wounds was easy; it was the strain on his eyes that was hard to heal.

Kisame was leaning back at the table in the kitchen, just finishing tying a bandage around the palm of his hand. He poured sake into a cup for Itachi and slid it across the length of the table, not spilling a drop, "It takes the sting out, makes you numb if you have enough,"

Itachi swished the wine around a bit before throwing it back, enjoying the burn as it flowed down his throat. He sat down, and put his head in his hand, closing his eyes, resting them for a moment.

"Not gonna get any sleep, Itachi?" Kisame chuckled at some inner thought.

"She'll be awake again in no time." Itachi replied.

"The kid has been a pain since the very first minute." Kisame grumbled, but he was fond of the memory of when Rei first found them.

"Well, now she's _in_ pain and I can't do anything to help this time." Itachi murmured back, not sounding himself, and Kisame caught the difference in his persona.

"You're going soft, Uchiha," Kisame pointed out. "You shouldn't care what happens to her."

"Neither should you," Itachi raised his eyes to meet Kisame's, though he didn't activate the sharingan, it was still threatening. "Don't think that I missed what you did. Kisame, you should have let her come, instead you held her back."

"Is that so?" Kisame laughed outright.

* * *

Sleep wasn't an escape for her, nor was it a rest for her strained heart and mind, let alone her body. She tossed and turned under the blanket that was one minute to hot and the next she was cold without it. Rei felt as though she were aware that she wasn't sleeping well, through out the night, like being in a permanent dosed state, never fully reaching unconsciousness.

Itachi's face popped up in one of her dreams, but that was all she remembered, just knowing he was there but not knowing why.

When her eyes suddenly flew open meeting the beginnings of dark blue morning light she felt lost and awake, though she knew she was tired, that she just wanted to sleep for years.

"Are you alright?" Itachi's half-asleep voice—which didn't sound too different from his normal voice—came from the chair in the corner.

"I don't think so," Rei kept her voice quiet and calm, which probably scared him more than if she'd lashed out again, or if she'd strung together a lovely line of curses for him. "Have you been here all night?" _Of course he has…_

"Only since you started screaming." He answered.

"Screaming? I was screaming?" She whispered turning her face to look at his dark silhouette.

"Yes, you were. Nothing comprehensible, however." He added so she wouldn't worry if she'd yelled something she didn't want him to hear.

"I stopped? When you came in?" She asked, knowing that it was true because that's how it used to be—when she was very young—before she slept in his bed.

"Yes."

"So...you didn't leave..." She sounded guilty even though it wasn't something she couldn't control.

"Hm," his eyes closed tiredly. "You don't have to mind that, I would have stayed either way."

A soft comfortable silence followed, Itachi's light breathing was the only thing Rei could hear as she stared up at the stones of the ceiling, her eyes following lines and patterns in them. A breeze rustled the tree out side the window and Rei remember many days sitting in the warm sun under its braches.

"...Itachi?" She was pensive, maybe she shouldn't ask for anything thing else from him...but...

"You haven't eaten in a while, you're hungry?" Itachi knew her too well, so well that it almost scared her. It made her wonder, if he had really wanted her back, if he would have been able to persuade her to return. She knew that answer was 'yes'.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't ask for things from yo—"

"Rei, stop." He was already at the door. His voice wasn't harsh nor was it an order, just a soft request.

"I'm sorry," She whispered once more.

"Eggs and green tea, correct? Or perhaps your preferences have changed..."

"No, that sounds perfect." She mumbled as she turned onto her sore side, she was starting to feel the fight from yesterday. "Thank you..." She managed to hum as he left.

_Damn it! Why does it hurt so much? I wish I could have told him...maybe I should re--No! I'm not going to touch it even!_

The only reason that the Sound medic would leave a letter for her was if he knew he wasn't going to make it, or if he expected not to see her again at the very least.

The more she thought about the folded scrap of paper the more it enraged her. She tossed the sheets from her as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and glared at the letter. "Damn it Kabuto!" She grabbed up the letter and crumpled it in her fist, with a feral growl she whipped it across the room and watched it fall to the floor.

When Itachi walked back in, the first signs of sunlight were bathing the room, Rei wasn't in her bed. He found her curled in the far corner, her hands wrapped around her knees, face buried underneath a curtain of raven tresses. Setting the tray of food on her bedside table he quickly made his way over to her, kneeling in front of her.

"Itachi...do you want me to stay here?" She questioned as he reached out to caress the top of her head. Her inquiry halted his actions, before he pulled his hand back.

"It's up to you whether you stay or go." He said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not interested in your B S answer!" She spat lifting her teary-eyed face to his, meeting his eyes with hers. "What do _you_ want? Do you want me with you anymore or…Itachi please...?"

His hand caressed her cheek lightly, before he took her lips in a feverish kiss, filled with passion enough to encompass a life time, two years...could easily become a life time. The kiss said _Yes! Stay with me! _Something he could never say out loud, but he made it painfully obvious. Itachi wanted Rei with him for as long as she would stay.

"Itachi..." She had to struggle to get herself to make him stop. He moved to whisper in her ear after a quick glance at her face.

"Stay here, at least for a few more days, don't make me lose you again so soon now that I've found you." His words sounded lustful, but also tender.

"A few days..."She promised, unable to promise any more than that however, she looked away from him.

* * *

Rei ate almost everything Itachi brought her. He'd left after she'd calmed down and started to eat, and she'd crawled in to bed. Sitting back against the headboard now she nibbled the last bits of egg on her plate.

She pushed the tray down and slipped out from under the blanket, gently putting weight on her feet, making sure she could support her sore body. She walked over to her full length mirror and carefully examined herself.

There was a darkening bruise on her left cheek, a few scratches on her right arm and leg from her fall. A cut on her shoulder had been cleaned and bandaged while she was asleep; other bruises dotted her arms and legs. Most notably her eyes stared dully back at her, rimmed in red.

Taking the hem of the clean tank top she was wearing—Itachi must have changed her—and pulling it up just enough to see the area of the ribs she'd broken not to long ago, she flinched as her fingers traced an ugly pronounced bruise.

"Rei?" Itachi's questioning tone came from the doorway.

"I…uh…well, I had a few broken ribs…recently," She cringed at the memory of falling into the ravine, watching him watch her crashing down as she fell to what should have been her death.

He read her expression in the mirror, "I see," He came up behind her leaving a comfortable space between them. "I hadn't meant for you to fall." Itachi sighed.

"Itachi..." Rei whispered as she pulled her shirt back into place.

_It's painful...these memories..._ She told him in her mind. He still looked at her reflection in the mirror, studying her it would seem, looking for cracks in her composure.

"You loved him?" Itachi's suddenness was almost unfair. But he must have been secretly dying to know. Dying to know why, and how and when and most importantly if she still loved him, now that Kabuto had taken a place in her heart, was there room for him?

She wouldn't lie to him, "I love him."

* * *

Rei felt Itachi slowly distance himself from her as each day passed. She felt herself not trying to hold him to her, not caring if he was there or not…just feeling empty. On the long nights where she would lay awake and cry she felt sanity slowly slipping away, felt her heart tearing more and more in a million different directions, all leading nowhere.

She could sense Itachi outside her door, even if he distanced himself, he couldn't deny that she was near, and in pain. All she would have to do was whisper his name and he'd be at her side, she was certain. But she didn't want that, wallowing in her own pain and sorrow was something she wanted to do alone.

He would stop, and listen—maybe even press his ear to the door—when he walked by. Sometimes he would press his back to the wall just beside the door frame and stand there for hours, waiting. Maybe having him even that close was a comfort, maybe she just didn't realize it. Even still, she wouldn't call out to him, wouldn't let him hold her, or comfort her, not willingly, in the least.

The letter remained crumbled in the corner, she cursed it daily. One day she was just sitting on the edge of her bed, not thinking, not crying, just sitting, when she just got up and went over to the little ball of paper, unwrinkled it and set it back on her bedside table and stared at it.

Her name was written there on the front in his hand writing. She played around with her memories of him, wondering what the inside might say. However much she wondered and thought about it though, she couldn't bring herself to read it. Rei felt like crying but she also felt like she didn't have even a single tear left. "…Kabuto…" She whispered longingly into the cool air. She hadn't even noticed that day had shifted to twilight.

A light tap at the door was followed by Itachi's soft muffled baritone voice, "Rei, would you like to eat with us?"

"No, thank you, Itachi-san." She answered back, lightheartedly, a smile on her lips for no reason.

She heard his foot steps drift down the hall as they headed for the kitchen. She didn't know why her mood was so high suddenly but as she found herself reaching out for the letter she felt the happiness raise another level.

Unfolding the paper carefully, slowly, almost unsurely—even though she was completely sure—Rei felt eager and hesitant about reading Kabuto's letter.

Her eyes set on his slightly messy script on the page…

_Rei, Though I know you won't regret anything that has happened in the two years since I brought you to Sound, I can't help but wonder if I made the right choice in doing so. It caused you a great deal of pain being here, and for that I'm sorry. But, Rei I need you to know how much I love you, I should have told you so many times, but I was such a coward. _

She started to cry, tears dripping down and dotting the page, she pulled the paper away to keep it from getting ruined as she reached for her heart, grasping at her shirt front.

_I could see it in your eyes, you're too easy to read like that Rei. Either way, I'm glad, because I know how much you loved me, I never thought it could happen. Itachi was the only one you would ever look at, or so I'd thought. I know you still love him too, and it makes me a bit bitter, but, I want you to be happy to, to have a good life. _

_I never did understand why you loved those silly books so much, but I think I understand now. No matter what happens from now on it will get better, Rei, trust me, it might hurt now, it might hurt very badly, but…Rei, you can have a story book ending._

_I love you, Rei._

_Kabuto~_

"Oh…Kabuto…" She whimpered, wiping her eyes as she stared at the print on the dirty white paper, Rei could just see his smile. "I love you…"

* * *

She walked calmly down the hall toward their soft voices, and stepped in the doorway. The light in the room was bright, a drastic change from the candle-lit hall. Both Akatsuki looked up at her from their meals.

"Itachi…I'd like to stay here." She smiled a happy, teary-eyed smile, closing her crimson eyes to keep the tears from falling, "As long as you'll let me, I want to stay with you,"

Maybe she'd lost something great, someone she loved, and perhaps without that someone the world seemed dark and lonely. But she wasn't left with nothing, in fact she had the most wonderful things to have, friends, family, people who loved her and the will to go on. So what if the times ahead were going to be hard, she could make it through. She'd go on to make a life worth living, with Itachi. It was painful now, and probably always would be, but someday, it wouldn't _hurt_ anymore, and she would be able to smile again, just like this.

"Rei…" Itachi started to get up, but she shook her head, she was fine. It didn't matter, she was already in his arms. _Yes, this is where I'm supposed to be now, Kabuto…thank you._

Kisame chuckled, "Welcome home, Kid."

**Ever Tense End:**

**Thanks for Reading, Review please~  
**


	12. Chapter 12 Extra: The First Night

**This is a little extra thing i wrote for Ever Tense, I found that once I had gotten into the Rei X Kabuto paring that, i really did like it, and that i'd like to write more Kabuto fics in the future. This is really out of place at the end but, yea...oh well, enjoy!**

**The first night:**

She rolled over in bed, keeping her eyes closed. _What have I done? _Rei inwardly demanded of herself.

The Sound medic lay next to her breathing even, and steady. _Of all people? Him?_ Her heart ached; it felt like it was ripping its way out of her chest. The wet tears pooled in her eyes, and she begged them not to fall. But she couldn't hold them back. She cried silently until he shifted next to her.

"Rei…I'm sorry…did I…?" His voice sounded unsure for the first time in her presence.

She rolled from the bed in anger, "I hate you!" she spat.

"I know…" He sighed, as if he knew she would act like this, but let himself lose control of anyway.

"This…this never…" Her tears dotted his floor; Rei pressed her back to the wall.

He sat up fully and moved toward her, reaching out for her hand. The goose-bumps crawling over her skin mixed with the cold of the room and her tears made her look surprisingly helpless, he'd never seen her in such a way.

"Don't touch me!" She shrieked and ran from the room. Her feet were still bare, and her legs and the cold stone hall air bit at her mercilessly. Silent waterfalls were still streaming her cheeks, as she ran for a way out.

Breaking out into the nearly freezing air of the night, finally, she ran into the trees, stopping under a large oak. Rei fell to the ground in a crying, shaking heap. She pulled the over-sized black T tighter on her small form, fighting the cold, not around her, but inside her. Her heart felt dead and heavy, icy and dark in heart chest, and at this point, she wanted to tear it out herself.

The thought crossed her mind fleetingly, that if she'd had a kunai, she'd have already done it.

She threw her head back and stared up at the starry midnight sky, longing for an escape, knowing there wasn't one, not now. Her choice had been made, the path walked, and she couldn't go back. She left to get away from something so similar to what she was throwing herself back into, the difference was supposed to be, that she'd be alone…in the sense that, it would be just her, against everyone. Kabuto wasn't supposed to be on her side! _Damn it! _Her fist hit the tree bark, hard, pushing splinters into her cold and numb skin, she hissed with the burning pain, and she enjoyed it in the same instant, loved the feel of the sharp end cutting her flesh, the feel of blood dripping to the ground.

She heard the leaves crunching under his feet as Kabuto made his way over to her, and she glared daggers at him as he stepped into her little hollow of self misery. "What?" She hissed.

"Rei, please…" He looked nervously at her.

"Go away!" She yelled.

He ignored her screamed request, kneeling in front of her. "You can't stay out here..." He whispered gently. "Please just come back inside..."

"I won't go back in the disgusting hell hole!" Rei shook her head, crying out in inner agony.

"Rei," He grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look at him.

She wanted to run away but was too scared to move from his grip, he could kill her with one jolt of chakra, that's all it would take. But...why would he? She looked in his eyes, and felt like the prey before the snake, paralyzed with fear.

As she gazed deep in his eyes though, she saw that he was truly concerned for her, that he wouldn't hurt her, she felt her body loosen along with his grip.

"I...I..." She stammered unsure of herself, as her eyes began to water again.

"Shhh, shhh, it'll be alright." He promised gently. His eyes glanced down at her bleeding fist, thorn like splinters still embedded into her hand. His hand—much larger than hers—eased her fist open in his palm, examining the wound.

She leaned away, not so keen on seeing her blood dripping to the ground as before. A soft heat seeped from his finger tips into the side of her hand, and up to the tip of her little finger, pushing out the bits of wood with gentle ease, healing the gashes from the inside out.

When he was finished the cold night air had gotten to her, and the thought of his warm embrace was inviting. She accepted. Throwing her arms around his neck she cried again.

His warm hands stroked her shoulders and back, warming her a bit, before he hoisted her up into his arms. She dangled lightly there in his hold, she was a lot smaller than him, a lot more than he'd realized.

Rei pressed her cheek into his strong chest, and held a small fist to him as well as she tried to regain some sort of control.

As they re-enter the "hell-hole" Rei shuddered in his arms, clinging closer to him for a second, before the musty air could creep down her throat.

"Rei, are you alright?" Kabuto asked again.

"You know what," She started then peeked up at him with surprisingly serious eyes, "I hate you." She whispered.

"Yes, I know." He answered.

"Good," She nodded before tucking her head back between his shoulder and his neck.

"Hate me all you want," You know it's a lie…it was there on his tongue, and she heard it.

"I hate you…" she told him, and herself.

* * *

**This was a really amazing story for me, writing it was the greatest thing i've written, well, maybe not the greatest but the longest, its made me really happy, now i just need something to do in my free time, since Ever Tense is done now....**


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